KJV ¹ Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

VULC ¹ [Audite, filii, disciplinam patris,
et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.

KJV ² For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

VULC ² Donum bonum tribuam vobis :
legem meam ne derelinquatis.

KJV ³ For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

VULC ³ Nam et ego filius fui patris mei,
tenellus et unigenitus coram matre mea.

KJV ⁴ He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

VULC ⁴ Et docebat me, atque dicebat :
Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum ;
custodi præcepta mea, et vives.

KJV ⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

VULC ⁵ Posside sapientiam, posside prudentiam :
ne obliviscaris, neque declines a verbis oris mei.

KJV ⁶ Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

VULC ⁶ Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te :
dilige eam, et conservabit te.

KJV ⁷ Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

VULC ⁷ Principium sapientiæ : posside sapientiam,
et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam.

KJV ⁸ Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

VULC ⁸ Arripe illam, et exaltabit te ;
glorificaberis ab ea cum eam fueris amplexatus.

KJV ⁹ She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

VULC ⁹ Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum,
et corona inclyta proteget te.]

KJV ¹⁰ Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

VULC ¹⁰ [Audi, fili mi, et suscipe verba mea,
ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitæ.

KJV ¹¹ I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

VULC ¹¹ Viam sapientiæ monstrabo tibi ;
ducam te per semitas æquitatis :

KJV ¹² When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

VULC ¹² quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui,
et currens non habebis offendiculum.

KJV ¹³ Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

VULC ¹³ Tene disciplinam, ne dimittas eam ;
custodi illam, quia ipsa est vita tua.

KJV ¹⁴ Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

VULC ¹⁴ Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum,
nec tibi placeat malorum via.

KJV ¹⁵ Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

VULC ¹⁵ Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam ;
declina, et desere eam.

KJV ¹⁶ For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

VULC ¹⁶ Non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint,
et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.

KJV ¹⁷ For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

VULC ¹⁷ Comedunt panem impietatis,
et vinum iniquitatis bibunt.

KJV ¹⁸ But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

VULC ¹⁸ Justorum autem semita quasi lux splendens procedit,
et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.

KJV ¹⁹ The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

VULC ¹⁹ Via impiorum tenebrosa ;
nesciunt ubi corruant.

KJV ²⁰ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

VULC ²⁰ Fili mi, ausculta sermones meos,
et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.

KJV ²¹ Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

VULC ²¹ Ne recedant ab oculis tuis :
custodi ea in medio cordis tui :

KJV ²² For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

VULC ²² vita enim sunt invenientibus ea,
et universæ carni sanitas.

KJV ²³ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

VULC ²³ Omni custodia serva cor tuum,
quia ex ipso vita procedit.

KJV ²⁴ Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

VULC ²⁴ Remove a te os pravum,
et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.

KJV ²⁵ Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

VULC ²⁵ Oculi tui recta videant,
et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos.

KJV ²⁶ Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

VULC ²⁶ Dirige semitam pedibus tuis,
et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.

KJV ²⁷ Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

VULC ²⁷ Ne declines ad dexteram neque ad sinistram ;
averte pedem tuum a malo :
vias enim quæ a dextris sunt novit Dominus :
perversæ vero sunt quæ a sinistris sunt.
Ipse autem rectos faciet cursus tuos,
itinera autem tua in pace producet.]

KJV ¹ My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:

VULC ¹ [Fili mi, attende ad sapientiam meam,
et prudentiæ meæ inclina aurem tuam :

KJV ² That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.

VULC ² ut custodias cogitationes, et disciplinam labia tua conservent.
Ne attendas fallaciæ mulieris ;

KJV ³ For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

VULC ³ favus enim distillans labia meretricis,
et nitidius oleo guttur ejus :

KJV ⁴ But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

VULC ⁴ novissima autem illius amara quasi absinthium,
et acuta quasi gladius biceps.

KJV ⁵ Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

VULC ⁵ Pedes ejus descendunt in mortem,
et ad inferos gressus illius penetrant.

KJV ⁶ Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.

VULC ⁶ Per semitam vitæ non ambulant ;
vagi sunt gressus ejus et investigabiles.

KJV ⁷ Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

VULC ⁷ Nunc ergo fili mi, audi me,
et ne recedas a verbis oris mei.

KJV ⁸ Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:

VULC ⁸ Longe fac ab ea viam tuam,
et ne appropinques foribus domus ejus.

KJV ⁹ Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:

VULC ⁹ Ne des alienis honorem tuum,
et annos tuos crudeli :

KJV ¹⁰ Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;

VULC ¹⁰ ne forte impleantur extranei viribus tuis,
et labores tui sint in domo aliena,

KJV ¹¹ And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,

VULC ¹¹ et gemas in novissimis,
quando consumpseris carnes tuas et corpus tuum,
et dicas :

KJV ¹² And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;

VULC ¹² Cur detestatus sum disciplinam,
et increpationibus non acquievit cor meum,

KJV ¹³ And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!

VULC ¹³ nec audivi vocem docentium me,
et magistris non inclinavi aurem meam ?

KJV ¹⁴ I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.

VULC ¹⁴ pene fui in omni malo,
in medio ecclesiæ et synagogæ.

KJV ¹⁵ Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.

VULC ¹⁵ Bibe aquam de cisterna tua,
et fluenta putei tui ;

KJV ¹⁶ Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.

VULC ¹⁶ deriventur fontes tui foras,
et in plateis aquas tuas divide.

KJV ¹⁷ Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.

VULC ¹⁷ Habeto eas solus,
nec sint alieni participes tui.

KJV ¹⁸ Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

VULC ¹⁸ Sit vena tua benedicta,
et lætare cum muliere adolescentiæ tuæ.

KJV ¹⁹ Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

VULC ¹⁹ Cerva carissima, et gratissimus hinnulus :
ubera ejus inebrient te in omni tempore ;
in amore ejus delectare jugiter.

KJV ²⁰ And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

VULC ²⁰ Quare seduceris, fili mi, ab aliena,
et foveris in sinu alterius ?

KJV ²¹ For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

VULC ²¹ Respicit Dominus vias hominis,
et omnes gressus ejus considerat.

KJV ²² His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

VULC ²² Iniquitates suas capiunt impium,
et funibus peccatorum suorum constringitur.

KJV ²³ He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

VULC ²³ Ipse morietur, quia non habuit disciplinam,
et in multitudine stultitiæ suæ decipietur.]

KJV ¹ My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

VULC ¹ [Fili mi, si spoponderis pro amico tuo,
defixisti apud extraneum manum tuam :

KJV ² Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

VULC ² illaqueatus es verbis oris tui,
et captus propriis sermonibus.

KJV ³ Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

VULC ³ Fac ergo quod dico, fili mi, et temetipsum libera,
quia incidisti in manum proximi tui.
Discurre, festina, suscita amicum tuum.

KJV ⁴ Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

VULC ⁴ Ne dederis somnum oculis tuis,
nec dormitent palpebræ tuæ.

KJV ⁵ Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

VULC ⁵ Eruere quasi damula de manu,
et quasi avis de manu aucupis.]

KJV ⁶ Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

VULC ⁶ [Vade ad formicam, o piger,
et considera vias ejus, et disce sapientiam.

KJV ⁷ Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

VULC ⁷ Quæ cum non habeat ducem,
nec præceptorem, nec principem,

KJV ⁸ Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

VULC ⁸ parat in æstate cibum sibi,
et congregat in messe quod comedat.

KJV ⁹ How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

VULC ⁹ Usquequo, piger, dormies ?
quando consurges e somno tuo ?

KJV ¹⁰ Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

VULC ¹⁰ Paululum dormies, paululum dormitabis,
paululum conseres manus ut dormias ;

KJV ¹¹ So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

VULC ¹¹ et veniet tibi quasi viator egestas,
et pauperies quasi vir armatus.
Si vero impiger fueris, veniet ut fons messis tua,
et egestas longe fugiet a te.]

KJV ¹² A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

VULC ¹² [Homo apostata, vir inutilis, graditur ore perverso ;

KJV ¹³ He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

VULC ¹³ annuit oculis, terit pede, digito loquitur,

KJV ¹⁴ Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

VULC ¹⁴ pravo corde machinatur malum,
et omni tempore jurgia seminat.

KJV ¹⁵ Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

VULC ¹⁵ Huic extemplo veniet perditio sua,
et subito conteretur, nec habebit ultra medicinam.]

KJV ¹⁶ These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

VULC ¹⁶ [Sex sunt quæ odit Dominus,
et septimum detestatur anima ejus :

KJV ¹⁷ A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

VULC ¹⁷ oculos sublimes, linguam mendacem,
manus effundentes innoxium sanguinem,

KJV ¹⁸ An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

VULC ¹⁸ cor machinans cogitationes pessimas,
pedes veloces ad currendum in malum,

KJV ¹⁹ A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

VULC ¹⁹ proferentem mendacia testem fallacem,
et eum qui seminat inter fratres discordias.]

KJV ²⁰ My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

VULC ²⁰ [Conserva, fili mi, præcepta patris tui,
et ne dimittas legem matris tuæ.

KJV ²¹ Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

VULC ²¹ Liga ea in corde tuo jugiter,
et circumda gutturi tuo.

KJV ²² When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

VULC ²² Cum ambulaveris, gradiantur tecum ;
cum dormieris, custodiant te :
et evigilans loquere cum eis.

KJV ²³ For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

VULC ²³ Quia mandatum lucerna est, et lex lux,
et via vitæ increpatio disciplinæ :

KJV ²⁴ To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

VULC ²⁴ ut custodiant te a muliere mala,
et a blanda lingua extraneæ.

KJV ²⁵ Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

VULC ²⁵ Non concupiscat pulchritudinem ejus cor tuum,
nec capiaris nutibus illius :

KJV ²⁶ For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adultress will hunt for the precious life.

VULC ²⁶ pretium enim scorti vix est unius panis,
mulier autem viri pretiosam animam capit.

KJV ²⁷ Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

VULC ²⁷ Numquid potest homo abscondere ignem in sinu suo,
ut vestimenta illius non ardeant ?

KJV ²⁸ Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

VULC ²⁸ aut ambulare super prunas,
ut non comburantur plantæ ejus ?

KJV ²⁹ So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

VULC ²⁹ sic qui ingreditur ad mulierem proximi sui,
non erit mundus cum tetigerit eam.

KJV ³⁰ Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

VULC ³⁰ Non grandis est culpa cum quis furatus fuerit :
furatur enim ut esurientem impleat animam ;

KJV ³¹ But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

VULC ³¹ deprehensus quoque reddet septuplum,
et omnem substantiam domus suæ tradet.

KJV ³² But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

VULC ³² Qui autem adulter est,
propter cordis inopiam perdet animam suam ;

KJV ³³ A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

VULC ³³ turpitudinem et ignominiam congregat sibi,
et opprobrium illius non delebitur :

KJV ³⁴ For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

VULC ³⁴ quia zelus et furor viri
non parcet in die vindictæ,

KJV ³⁵ He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

VULC ³⁵ nec acquiescet cujusquam precibus,
nec suscipiet pro redemptione dona plurima.]