Proverbiorum 8
1 Numquid non sapientia clamitat, et prudentia dat vocem suam?
Doth not, wisdom, cry aloud? and, understanding, send forth her voice?
2 In summis, excelsisque verticibus supra viam, in mediis semitis stans,
At the top of the high places above the way, at the place where paths meet, she taketh her stand:
3 iuxta portas civitatis in ipsis foribus loquitur, dicens:
Beside the gates, at the entrance of the city, —at the going in of the openings, she shouteth: —
4 O viri, ad vos clamito, et vox mea ad filios hominum.
Unto you, O men, I call, and, my voice, is unto the sons of men;
5 Intelligite parvuli astutiam, et insipientes animadvertite.
Understand, ye simple ones, shrewdness, and, ye dullards understand sense;
6 Audite, quoniam de rebus magnis locutura sum: et aperientur labia mea, ut recta prædicent.
Hear, for, princely things, will I speak, and the opening of my lips shall be of equity;
7 Veritatem meditabitur guttur meum, et labia mea detestabuntur impium.
For, faithfulness, shall my mouth softly utter, but, the abomination of my lips, shall be lawlessness;
8 Iusti sunt omnes sermones mei, non est in eis pravum quid, neque perversum.
In righteousness, shall be all the sayings of my mouth, nothing therein, shall be crafty or perverse;
9 recti sunt intelligentibus, et æqui invenientibus scientiam.
All of them, shall be plain, to them who would understand, and just, to such as would gain knowledge.
10 Accipite disciplinam meam, et non pecuniam: doctrinam magis, quam aurum eligite.
Receive my correction, and not silver, and knowledge, rather than choicest gold.
11 Melior est enim sapientia cunctis pretiosissimis: et omne desiderabile ei non potest comparari.
For better is wisdom, than ornaments of coral, and, no delightful things, can equal her.
12 Ego sapientia habito in consilio, et eruditis intersum cogitationibus.
I, wisdom, inhabit shrewdness, —and, the knowledge of sagacious things, I gain.
13 Timor Domini odit malum: arrogantiam, et superbiam, et viam pravam, et os bilingue detestor.
The reverence of Yahweh, is to hate wickedness: pride, arrogance, and the way of wickedness; And a mouth of perverse things, do I hate.
14 Meum est consilium, et æquitas, mea est prudentia, mea est fortitudo.
Mine, are counsel, and effective working, I, am understanding, mine, is valour:
15 Per me reges regnant, et legum conditores iusta decernunt:
By me, kings reign, and dignitaries decree righteousness;
16 Per me principes imperant, et potentes decernunt iustitiam.
By me, rulers govern, and nobles—all the righteous judges:
17 Ego diligentes me diligo: et qui mane vigilant ad me, invenient me.
I love, them who love me, and, they who diligently seek me, find me:
18 Mecum sunt divitiæ, et gloria, opes superbæ, et iustitia.
Riches and honour, are with me, lordly wealth, and righteousness;
19 Melior est enim fructus meus auro, et lapide pretioso, et genimina me argento electo.
Better is my fruit, than gold—yea fine gold, and mine increase, than choice silver;
20 In viis iustitiæ ambulo, in medio semitarum iudicii,
In the way of righteousness, I march along, in the middle of the paths of justice:
21 ut ditem diligentes me, et thesauros eorum repleam.
That I may cause them who love me to inherit substance, and, their treasuries, I may fill.
22 Dominus possedit me in initio viarum suarum, antequam quidquam faceret a principio.
Yahweh, had constituted me the beginning of his way, before his works, at the commencement of that time;
23 Ab æterno ordinata sum, et ex antiquis antequam terra fieret.
At the outset of the ages, had I been established, in advance of the antiquities of the earth;
24 Nondum erant abyssi, et ego iam concepta eram: necdum fontes aquarum eruperant:
When there was no resounding deep, I had been brought forth, when there were no fountains, abounding with water;
25 necdum montes gravi mole constiterant: ante colles ego parturiebar:
Ere yet the mountains had been settled, before the hills, had I been brought forth;
26 adhuc terram non fecerat, et flumina, et cardines orbis terræ.
Or ever he had made the land and the wastes, or the top of the dry parts of the world:
27 Quando præparabat cælos, aderam: quando certa lege, et gyro vallabat abyssos:
When he prepared the heavens, there, was I! When he decreed a vault upon the face of the resounding deep;
28 quando æthera firmabat sursum, et librabat fontes aquarum:
When he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the resounding deep, waxed strong;
29 quando circumdabat mari terminum suum, et legem ponebat aquis, ne transirent fines suos: quando appendebat fundamenta terræ:
When he fixed for the sea its bound, that, the waters, should not go beyond his bidding, when he decreed the foundations of the earth: —
30 Cum eo eram cuncta componens: et delectabar per singulos dies, ludens coram eo omni tempore;
Then became I beside him, a firm and sure worker, then became I filled with delight, day by day, exulting before him on every occasion;
31 ludens in orbe terrarum: et deliciæ meæ esse, cum filiis hominum.
Exulting in the fruitful land of his earth, Yea, my fulness of delight, was with the sons of men.
32 Nunc ergo filii audite me: Beati, qui custodiunt vias meas.
Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, for how happy are they who, to my ways, pay regard!
33 Audite disciplinam, et estote sapientes, et nolite abiicere eam.
Hear ye correction, and be wise, and do not neglect.
34 Beatus homo qui audit me, et qui vigilat ad fores meas quotidie, et observat ad postes ostii mei.
How happy the man that doth hearken to me, —keeping guard at my doors, day by day, watching at the posts of my gates;
35 Qui me invenerit, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino:
For, he that findeth me, findeth life, and hath obtained favour from Yahweh;
36 qui autem in me peccaverit, lædet animam suam. Omnes, qui me oderunt, diligunt mortem.
But, he that misseth me, wrongeth his own soul, all who hate me, love death.
