Proverbiorum 7
1 Fili mi, custodi sermones meos, et præcepta mea reconde tibi. Fili,
My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.
2 serva mandata mea, et vives; et legem meam quasi pupillam oculi tui:
Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 liga eam in digitis tuis, scribe illam in tabulis cordis tui.
Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Dic sapientiæ: Soror mea es, et prudentiam voca amicam tuam:
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
5 ut custodiant te a muliere extranea, et ab aliena quæ verba sua dulcia facit.
that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
6 De fenestra enim domus meæ per cancellos prospexi,
For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.
7 et video parvulos; considero vecordem juvenem,
I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
8 qui transit per plateam juxta angulum et prope viam domus illius graditur:
crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,
9 in obscuro, advesperascente die, in noctis tenebris et caligine.
at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
10 Et ecce occurrit illi mulier ornatu meretricio, præparata ad capiendas animas: garrula et vaga,
Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.
11 quietis impatiens, nec valens in domo consistere pedibus suis;
She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
12 nunc foris, nunc in plateis, nunc juxta angulos insidians.
Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
13 Apprehensumque deosculatur juvenem, et procaci vultu blanditur, dicens:
She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
14 Victimas pro salute vovi; hodie reddidi vota mea:
“I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.
15 idcirco egressa sum in occursum tuum, desiderans te videre, et reperi.
So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.
16 Intexui funibus lectulum meum; stravi tapetibus pictis ex Ægypto:
I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.
17 aspersi cubile meum myrrha, et aloë, et cinnamomo.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
18 Veni, inebriemur uberibus, et fruamur cupitis amplexibus donec illucescat dies.
Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!
19 Non est enim vir in domo sua: abiit via longissima:
For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 sacculum pecuniæ secum tulit; in die plenæ lunæ reversurus est in domum suam.
He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”
21 Irretivit eum multis sermonibus, et blanditiis labiorum protraxit illum.
With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
22 Statim eam sequitur quasi bos ductus ad victimam, et quasi agnus lasciviens, et ignorans quod ad vincula stultus trahatur:
He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
23 donec transfigat sagitta jecur ejus, velut si avis festinet ad laqueum, et nescit quod de periculo animæ illius agitur.
until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare— not knowing it will cost him his life.
24 Nunc ergo, fili mi, audi me, et attende verbis oris mei.
Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Ne abstrahatur in viis illius mens tua, neque decipiaris semitis ejus;
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
26 multos enim vulneratos dejecit, et fortissimi quique interfecti sunt ab ea.
For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
