Proverbiorum 24
1 Ne æmuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis:
Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
2 quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.
Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
3 Sapientia ædificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.
By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
4 In doctrina replebuntur cellaria, universa substantia pretiosa et pulcherrima.
By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
5 Vir sapiens fortis est, et vir doctus robustus et validus:
A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
6 quia cum dispositione initur bellum, et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.
Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
7 Excelsa stulto sapientia; in porta non aperiet os suum.
Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
8 Qui cogitat mala facere stultus vocabitur:
He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
9 cogitatio stulti peccatum est, et abominatio hominum detractor.
The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.
10 Si desperaveris lassus in die angustiæ, imminuetur fortitudo tua.
If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
11 Erue eos qui ducuntur ad mortem, et qui trahuntur ad interitum, liberare ne cesses.
Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
12 Si dixeris: Vires non suppetunt; qui inspector est cordis ipse intelligit: et servatorem animæ tuæ nihil fallit, reddetque homini juxta opera sua.
If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.
13 Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo.
Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:
14 Sic et doctrina sapientiæ animæ tuæ: quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.
So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.
15 Ne insidieris, et quæras impietatem in domo justi, neque vastes requiem ejus.
Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 Septies enim cadet justus, et resurget: impii autem corruent in malum.
For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
17 Cum ceciderit inimicus tuus ne gaudeas, et in ruina ejus ne exsultet cor tuum:
When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
18 ne forte videat Dominus, et displiceat ei, et auferat ab eo iram suam.
Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec æmuleris impios:
Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
20 quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.
For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Time Dominum, fili mi, et regem, et cum detractoribus non commiscearis:
My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.
22 quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum, et ruinam utriusque quis novit?
For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
23 Hæc quoque sapientibus. Cognoscere personam in judicio non est bonum.
These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
24 Qui dicunt impio: Justus es: maledicent eis populi, et detestabuntur eos tribus.
They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
25 Qui arguunt eum laudabuntur, et super ipsos veniet benedictio.
They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 Labia deosculabitur qui recta verba respondet.
He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
27 Præpara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum, ut postea ædifices domum tuam.
Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
28 Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum, nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.
Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.
29 Ne dicas: Quomodo fecit mihi, sic faciam ei; reddam unicuique secundum opus suum.
Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.
30 Per agrum hominis pigri transivi, et per vineam viri stulti:
I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
31 et ecce totum repleverant urticæ, et operuerant superficiem ejus spinæ, et maceria lapidum destructa erat.
And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Quod cum vidissem, posui in corde meo, et exemplo didici disciplinam.
Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
33 Parum, inquam, dormies, modicum dormitabis; pauxillum manus conseres ut quiescas:
Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:
34 et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.
And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
