Proverbs 5
1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding,
Fili mi, attende ad sapientiam meam, et prudentiæ meæ inclina aurem tuam,
2 that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge.
ut custodias cogitationes, et disciplinam labia tua conservent. Ne attendas fallaciæ mulieris.
3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil,
Favus enim distillans labia meretricis, et nitidius oleo guttur eius.
4 but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword.
Novissima autem illius amara quasi absinthium, et acuta quasi gladius biceps.
Pedes eius descendunt in mortem, et ad inferos gressus illius penetrant. (Sheol h7585)
6 She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn’t know it.
Per semitam vitæ non ambulant, vagi sunt gressus eius, et investigabiles.
7 Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don’t depart from the words of my mouth.
Nunc ergo fili mi audi me, et ne recedas a verbis oris mei.
8 Remove your way far from her. Don’t come near the door of her house,
Longe fac ab ea viam tuam, et ne appropinques foribus domus eius.
9 lest you give your honour to others, and your years to the cruel one;
Ne des alienis honorem tuum, et annos tuos crudeli.
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labours enrich another man’s house.
Ne forte implentur extranei viribus tuis, et labores tui sint in domo aliena,
11 You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed,
et gemas in novissimis, quando consumseris carnes tuas et corpus tuum, et dicas:
12 and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof.
Cur detestatus sum disciplinam, et increpationibus non acquievit cor meum,
13 I haven’t obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!
nec audivi vocem docentium me, et magistris non inclinavi aurem meam?
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin, amongst the gathered assembly.”
Pene fui in omni malo, in medio ecclesiæ et synagogæ.
15 Drink water out of your own cistern, running water out of your own well.
Bibe aquam de cisterna tua, et fluenta putei tui:
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?
Deriventur fontes tui foras, et in plateis aquas tuas divide.
17 Let them be for yourself alone, not for strangers with you.
Habeto eas solus, nec sint alieni participes tui.
18 Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
Sit vena tua benedicta, et lætare cum muliere adolescentiæ tuæ:
19 A loving doe and a graceful deer— let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love.
cerva charissima, et gratissimus hinnulus. Ubera eius inebrient te in omni tempore, in amore eius delectare iugiter.
20 For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another?
Quare seduceris fili mi ab aliena, et foveris in sinu alterius?
21 For the ways of man are before the LORD’s eyes. He examines all his paths.
Respicit Dominus vias hominis, et omnes gressus eius considerat.
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him. The cords of his sin hold him firmly.
Iniquitates suas capiunt impium, et funibus peccatorum suorum constringitur.
23 He will die for lack of instruction. In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.
Ipse morietur, quia non habuit disciplinam, et in multitudine stultitiæ suæ decipietur.
