Proverbiorum 8
1 Numquid non sapientia clamitat, et prudentia dat vocem suam?
Doth not wisdom call? And understanding give forth her voice?
2 In summis, excelsisque verticibus supra viam, in mediis semitis stans,
At the head of high places by the way, Between the paths she hath stood,
3 iuxta portas civitatis in ipsis foribus loquitur, dicens:
At the side of the gates, at the mouth of the city, The entrance of the openings, she crieth aloud,
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, prudence, And ye fools, understand the heart,
6 Audite, quoniam de rebus magnis locutura sum: et aperientur labia mea, ut recta prædicent.
Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.
7 Veritatem meditabitur guttur meum, et labia mea detestabuntur impium.
For truth doth my mouth utter, And an abomination to my lips [is] wickedness.
8 Iusti sunt omnes sermones mei, non est in eis pravum quid, neque perversum.
In righteousness [are] all the sayings of my mouth, Nothing in them is froward and perverse.
9 recti sunt intelligentibus, et æqui invenientibus scientiam.
All of them [are] plain to the intelligent, And upright to those finding knowledge.
10 Accipite disciplinam meam, et non pecuniam: doctrinam magis, quam aurum eligite.
Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 Melior est enim sapientia cunctis pretiosissimis: et omne desiderabile ei non potest comparari.
For better [is] wisdom than rubies, Yea, all delights are not comparable with it.
12 Ego sapientia habito in consilio, et eruditis intersum cogitationibus.
I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, And a knowledge of devices I find out.
13 Timor Domini odit malum: arrogantiam, et superbiam, et viam pravam, et os bilingue detestor.
The fear of Jehovah [is] to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and an evil way, And a froward mouth, I have hated.
14 Meum est consilium, et æquitas, mea est prudentia, mea est fortitudo.
Mine [is] counsel and substance, I [am] understanding, I have might.
15 Per me reges regnant, et legum conditores iusta decernunt:
By me kings reign, and princes decree righteousness,
16 Per me principes imperant, et potentes decernunt iustitiam.
By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.
17 Ego diligentes me diligo: et qui mane vigilant ad me, invenient me.
I love those loving me, And those seeking me earnestly do find me.
18 Mecum sunt divitiæ, et gloria, opes superbæ, et iustitia.
Wealth and honour [are] with me, Lasting substance and righteousness.
19 Melior est enim fructus meus auro, et lapide pretioso, et genimina me argento electo.
Better [is] my fruit than gold, even fine gold, And mine increase than choice silver.
20 In viis iustitiæ ambulo, in medio semitarum iudicii,
In a path of righteousness I cause to walk, In midst of paths of judgment,
21 ut ditem diligentes me, et thesauros eorum repleam.
To cause my lovers to inherit substance, Yea, their treasures I fill.
22 Dominus possedit me in initio viarum suarum, antequam quidquam faceret a principio.
Jehovah possessed me — the beginning of His way, Before His works since then.
23 Ab æterno ordinata sum, et ex antiquis antequam terra fieret.
From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth.
24 Nondum erant abyssi, et ego iam concepta eram: necdum fontes aquarum eruperant:
In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,
25 necdum montes gravi mole constiterant: ante colles ego parturiebar:
Before mountains were sunk, Before heights, I was brought forth.
26 adhuc terram non fecerat, et flumina, et cardines orbis terræ.
While He had not made the earth, and out-places, And the top of the dusts of the world.
27 Quando præparabat cælos, aderam: quando certa lege, et gyro vallabat abyssos:
In His preparing the heavens I [am] there, In His decreeing a circle on the face of the deep,
28 quando æthera firmabat sursum, et librabat fontes aquarum:
In His strengthening clouds above, In His making strong fountains of the deep,
29 quando circumdabat mari terminum suum, et legem ponebat aquis, ne transirent fines suos: quando appendebat fundamenta terræ:
In His setting for the sea its limit, And the waters transgress not His command, In His decreeing the foundations of earth,
30 Cum eo eram cuncta componens: et delectabar per singulos dies, ludens coram eo omni tempore;
Then I am near Him, a workman, And I am a delight — day by day. Rejoicing before Him at all times,
31 ludens in orbe terrarum: et deliciæ meæ esse, cum filiis hominum.
Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, And my delights [are] with the sons of men.
32 Nunc ergo filii audite me: Beati, qui custodiunt vias meas.
And now, ye sons, hearken to me, Yea, happy are they who keep my ways.
33 Audite disciplinam, et estote sapientes, et nolite abiicere eam.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and slight not.
34 Beatus homo qui audit me, et qui vigilat ad fores meas quotidie, et observat ad postes ostii mei.
O the happiness of the man hearkening to me, To watch at my doors day by day, To watch at the door-posts of my entrance.
35 Qui me invenerit, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino:
For whoso is finding me, hath found life, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
36 qui autem in me peccaverit, lædet animam suam. Omnes, qui me oderunt, diligunt mortem.
And whoso is missing me, is wronging his soul, All hating me have loved death!
