Proverbiorum 24
1 Ne æmuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis:
Be not thou envious of wicked men, neither crave to be with them;
2 quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.
For, violence, their heart muttereth, and, mischief, their lips do speak.
3 Sapientia ædificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.
In wisdom, is a house builded, and, in understanding, is it established;
4 In doctrina replebuntur cellaria, universa substantia pretiosa et pulcherrima.
And, in knowledge, chambers are filled, with all acquisitions, costly and fair.
5 Vir sapiens fortis est, et vir doctus robustus et validus:
A wise man, is mighty, and, a man of knowledge, becometh alert in vigour.
6 quia cum dispositione initur bellum, et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.
Surely, with concerted measures, shalt thou make for thyself war, and, success, lieth in the greatness of the counsellor.
7 Excelsa stulto sapientia; in porta non aperiet os suum.
Unattainable to a foolish man, are the dictates of wisdom, in the gate, he openeth not his mouth.
8 Qui cogitat mala facere stultus vocabitur:
He that deviseth to do mischief, him, shall men call, a master of plots.
9 cogitatio stulti peccatum est, et abominatio hominum detractor.
The purpose of folly, is sin, and, an abomination to mankind, is a buffoon.
10 Si desperaveris lassus in die angustiæ, imminuetur fortitudo tua.
Thou hast been slothful in the day of straitness, Strait, is thy strength.
11 Erue eos qui ducuntur ad mortem, et qui trahuntur ad interitum, liberare ne cesses.
Deliver thou such as are being led forth to death, and, them who are tottering to slaughter, oh that thou wouldst hold back!
12 Si dixeris: Vires non suppetunt; qui inspector est cordis ipse intelligit: et servatorem animæ tuæ nihil fallit, reddetque homini juxta opera sua.
Though thou say, Lo! we knew not this, Shall not, he that proveth hearts, himself, discern? And, he that formeth thy soul, himself, know? and bring back to a son of earth according to his deed?
13 Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo.
My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, —and droppings from the comb [because they are] sweet to thy palate:
14 Sic et doctrina sapientiæ animæ tuæ: quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.
Thus, take knowledge of wisdom, for thine own soul; If thou find it, then there is a future, and, thine expectation, shall not be cut off.
15 Ne insidieris, et quæras impietatem in domo justi, neque vastes requiem ejus.
Do not lie in wait, thou lawless man, against the home of the righteous, —neither destroy thou his place of rest;
16 Septies enim cadet justus, et resurget: impii autem corruent in malum.
For, seven times, may the righteous fall and yet arise, but, lawless men, shall stumble into calamity.
17 Cum ceciderit inimicus tuus ne gaudeas, et in ruina ejus ne exsultet cor tuum:
When thine enemy falleth, do not thou rejoice, and, when he stumbleth, let not thy heart exult:
18 ne forte videat Dominus, et displiceat ei, et auferat ab eo iram suam.
Lest Yahweh see it, and it be wicked in his eyes, and he turn away from him his anger.
19 Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec æmuleris impios:
Burn not with vexation against evil doers, be not envious of lawless men;
20 quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.
For there shall be no future for the wicked, The lamp of the lawless, shall go out.
21 Time Dominum, fili mi, et regem, et cum detractoribus non commiscearis:
Revere thou Yahweh, my son, and the king, and, with the fickle, have thou no fellowship;
22 quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum, et ruinam utriusque quis novit?
For, suddenly, shall arise their calamity; and, the misfortune of their years, who knoweth?
23 Hæc quoque sapientibus. Cognoscere personam in judicio non est bonum.
These things also, concern the wise, To take note of faces in judgment, is not good.
24 Qui dicunt impio: Justus es: maledicent eis populi, et detestabuntur eos tribus.
He that saith to the lawless man, Righteous, thou art, peoples shall denounce him, populations shall curse him;
25 Qui arguunt eum laudabuntur, et super ipsos veniet benedictio.
But, to reprovers, one should be pleasant, and, upon them, should come an excellent blessing:
26 Labia deosculabitur qui recta verba respondet.
Lips, should one kiss with one who answereth in right words.
27 Præpara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum, ut postea ædifices domum tuam.
Prepare, in the open, thy work, and make ready, in the field, for thyself, Afterwards, shalt thou build thy house.
28 Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum, nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.
Do not become a needless witness against thy neighbour, so mightest thou open too wide thy lips:
29 Ne dicas: Quomodo fecit mihi, sic faciam ei; reddam unicuique secundum opus suum.
Do not say—According to what he hath done to me, so, will I do to him, I will repay every one according to his work.
30 Per agrum hominis pigri transivi, et per vineam viri stulti:
By the field of the sluggard, I passed, and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense;
31 et ecce totum repleverant urticæ, et operuerant superficiem ejus spinæ, et maceria lapidum destructa erat.
And lo! there had come up all over it—thorns, there had covered the face thereof—thistles, and, the stone fence thereof, had been thrown down.
32 Quod cum vidissem, posui in corde meo, et exemplo didici disciplinam.
So I observed it, for myself, I applied my heart, I looked—I accepted correction:
33 Parum, inquam, dormies, modicum dormitabis; pauxillum manus conseres ut quiescas:
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest:
34 et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.
So shall come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
