Proverbs 20
1 Wine makes men foolish, and strong drink makes men come to blows; and whoever comes into error through these is not wise.
Luxuriosa res, vinum, et tumultuosa ebrietas: quicumque his delectatur, non erit sapiens.
2 The wrath of a king is like the loud cry of a lion: he who makes him angry does wrong against himself.
Sicut rugitus leonis, ita et terror regis: qui provocat eum, peccat in animam suam.
3 It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.
Honor est homini, qui separat se a contentionibus: omnes autem stulti miscentur contumeliis.
4 The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.
Propter frigus piger arare noluit: mendicabit ergo aestate, et non dabitur illi.
5 The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.
Sicut aqua profunda, sic consilium in corde viri: sed homo sapiens exhauriet illud.
6 Most men make no secret of their kind acts: but where is a man of good faith to be seen?
Multi homines misericordes vocantur: virum autem fidelem quis inveniet?
7 An upright man goes on in his righteousness: happy are his children after him!
Iustus, qui ambulat in simplicitate sua, beatos post se filios derelinquet.
8 A king on the seat of judging puts to flight all evil with his eyes.
Rex, qui sedet in solio iudicii, dissipat omne malum intuitu suo.
9 Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?
Quis potest dicere: Mundum est cor meum, purus sum a peccato?
10 Unequal weights and unequal measures, they are all disgusting to the Lord.
Pondus et pondus, mensura et mensura: utrumque abominabile est apud Deum.
11 Even a child may be judged by his doings, if his work is free from sin and if it is right.
Ex studiis suis intelligitur puer, si munda et recta sint opera eius.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye are equally the Lord's work.
Aurem audientem, et oculum videntem, Dominus fecit utrumque.
13 Do not be a lover of sleep, or you will become poor: keep your eyes open, and you will have bread enough.
Noli diligere somnum, ne te egestas opprimat: aperi oculos tuos, et saturare panibus.
14 A poor thing, a poor thing, says he who is giving money for goods: but when he has gone on his way, then he makes clear his pride in what he has got.
Malum est, malum est, dicit omnis emptor: et cum recesserit, tunc gloriabitur.
15 There is gold and a store of corals: but the lips of knowledge are a jewel of great price.
Est aurum, et multitudo gemmarum: vas autem pretiosum labia scientiae.
16 Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.
Tolle vestimentum eius, qui fideiussor extitit alieni, et pro extraneis aufer pignus ab eo.
17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but after, his mouth will be full of sand.
Suavis est homini panis mendacii: et postea implebitur os eius calculo.
18 Every purpose is put into effect by wise help: and by wise guiding make war.
Cogitationes consiliis roborantur: et gubernaculis tractanda sunt bella.
19 He who goes about talking of the business of others gives away secrets: so have nothing to do with him whose lips are open wide.
Ei, qui revelat mysteria, et ambulat fraudulenter, et dilatat labia sua, ne commiscearis.
20 If anyone puts a curse on his father or his mother, his light will be put out in the blackest night.
Qui maledicit patri suo, et matri, extinguetur lucerna eius in mediis tenebris.
21 A heritage may be got quickly at first, but the end of it will not be a blessing.
Hereditas, ad quam festinatur in principio, in novissimo benedictione carebit.
22 Do not say, I will give punishment for evil: go on waiting for the Lord, and he will be your saviour.
Ne dicas: Reddam malum: expecta Dominum, et liberabit te.
23 Unequal weights are disgusting to the Lord, and false scales are not good.
Abominatio est apud Dominum pondus et pondus: statera dolosa non est bona.
24 A man's steps are of the Lord; how then may a man have knowledge of his way?
A Domino diriguntur gressus viri: quis autem hominum intelligere potest viam suam?
25 It is a danger to a man to say without thought, It is holy, and, after taking his oaths, to be questioning if it is necessary to keep them.
Ruina est homini devotare sanctos, et post vota retractare.
26 A wise king puts evil-doers to flight, and makes their evil-doing come back on them.
Dissipat impios rex sapiens, et incurvat super eos fornicem.
27 The Lord keeps watch over the spirit of man, searching all the deepest parts of the body.
Lucerna Domini spiraculum hominis, quae investigat omnia secreta ventris.
28 Mercy and good faith keep the king safe, and the seat of his power is based on upright acts.
Misericordia, et veritas custodiunt regem, et roboratur clementia thronus eius.
29 The glory of young men is their strength, and the honour of old men is their grey hairs.
Exultatio iuvenum, fortitudo eorum: et dignitas senum canities.
30 By the wounds of the rod evil is taken away, and blows make clean the deepest parts of the body.
Livor vulneris absterget mala: et plagae in secretioribus ventris.
