Proverbs 2

1 My son, if you will take my words to your heart, storing up my laws in your mind;

[Fili mi, si susceperis sermones meos, et mandata mea absconderis penes te:

2 So that your ear gives attention to wisdom, and your heart is turned to knowledge;

ut audiat sapientiam auris tua, inclina cor tuum ad cognoscendam prudentiam.

3 Truly, if you are crying out for good sense, and your request is for knowledge;

Si enim sapientiam invocaveris, et inclinaveris cor tuum prudentiæ;

4 If you are looking for her as for silver, and searching for her as for stored-up wealth;

si quæsieris eam quasi pecuniam, et sicut thesauros effoderis illam:

5 Then the fear of the Lord will be clear to you, and knowledge of God will be yours.

tunc intelliges timorem Domini, et scientiam Dei invenies,

6 For the Lord gives wisdom; out of his mouth come knowledge and reason:

quia Dominus dat sapientiam, et ex ore ejus prudentia et scientia.

7 He has salvation stored up for the upright, he is a breastplate to those in whom there is no evil;

Custodiet rectorum salutem, et proteget gradientes simpliciter,

8 He keeps watch on the ways which are right, and takes care of those who have the fear of him.

servans semitas justitiæ, et vias sanctorum custodiens.

9 Then you will have knowledge of righteousness and right acting, and upright behaviour, even of every good way.

Tunc intelliges justitiam, et judicium, et æquitatem, et omnem semitam bonam.]

10 For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasing to your soul;

[Si intraverit sapientia cor tuum, et scientia animæ tuæ placuerit,

11 Wise purposes will be watching over you, and knowledge will keep you;

consilium custodiet te, et prudentia servabit te:

12 Giving you salvation from the evil man, from those whose words are false;

ut eruaris a via mala, et ab homine qui perversa loquitur;

13 Who give up the way of righteousness, to go by dark roads;

qui relinquunt iter rectum, et ambulant per vias tenebrosas;

14 Who take pleasure in wrongdoing, and have joy in the evil designs of the sinner;

qui lætantur cum malefecerint, et exsultant in rebus pessimis;

15 Whose ways are not straight, and whose footsteps are turned to evil:

quorum viæ perversæ sunt, et infames gressus eorum.

16 To take you out of the power of the strange woman, who says smooth words with her tongue;

Ut eruaris a muliere aliena, et ab extranea quæ mollit sermones suos,

17 Who is false to the husband of her early years, and does not keep the agreement of her God in mind:

et relinquit ducem pubertatis suæ,

18 For her house is on the way down to death; her footsteps go down to the shades:

et pacti Dei sui oblita est. Inclinata est enim ad mortem domus ejus, et ad inferos semitæ ipsius. (questioned)

19 Those who go to her do not come back again; their feet do not keep in the ways of life:

Omnes qui ingrediuntur ad eam non revertentur, nec apprehendent semitas vitæ.

20 So that you may go in the way of good men, and keep in the footsteps of the upright.

Ut ambules in via bona, et calles justorum custodias:

21 For the upright will be living in the land, and the good will have it for their heritage.

qui enim recti sunt habitabunt in terra, et simplices permanebunt in ea;

22 But sinners will be cut off from the land, and those whose acts are false will be uprooted.

impii vero de terra perdentur, et qui inique agunt auferentur ex ea.]