Proverbiorum 2

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

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and lay up my commandments with thee;

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

So that thou make thine ear attend unto wisdom, and thy heart incline to discernment;

3 Si enim sapientiam invocaveris, et inclinaveris cor tuum prudentiæ;

Yea, if thou call for understanding, and lift up thy voice for discernment;

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

If thou seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures;

5 tunc intelliges timorem Domini, et scientiam Dei invenies,

Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

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

For the LORD giveth wisdom, out of His mouth cometh knowledge and discernment;

7 Custodiet rectorum salutem, et proteget gradientes simpliciter,

He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright, He is a shield to them that walk in integrity;

8 servans semitas justitiæ, et vias sanctorum custodiens.

That He may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of His godly ones.

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

Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, and equity, yea, every good path.

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

For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;

11 consilium custodiet te, et prudentia servabit te:

Discretion shall watch over thee, discernment shall guard thee;

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

To deliver thee from the way of evil, from the men that speak froward things;

13 qui relinquunt iter rectum, et ambulant per vias tenebrosas;

Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

14 qui lætantur cum malefecerint, et exsultant in rebus pessimis;

Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of evil;

15 quorum viæ perversæ sunt, et infames gressus eorum.

Who are crooked in their ways, and perverse in their paths;

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

To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the alien woman that maketh smooth her words;

17 et relinquit ducem pubertatis suæ,

That forsaketh the lord of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

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

For her house sinketh down unto death, and her paths unto the shades;

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

None that go unto her return, neither do they attain unto the paths of life;

20 Ut ambules in via bona, et calles justorum custodias:

That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

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

For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the whole-hearted shall remain in it.

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

But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the faithless shall be plucked up out of it.