Proverbiorum 7
1 Fili mi, custodi sermones meos, et praecepta mea reconde tibi. Fili
My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2 serva mandata mea, et vives: et legem meam quasi pupillam oculi tui:
Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
3 liga eam in digitis tuis, scribe illam in tabulis cordis tui.
Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Dic sapientiae, soror mea es: et prudentiam voca amicam tuam,
Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5 ut custodiant te a muliere extranea, et ab aliena, quae verba sua dulcia facit.
that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 De fenestra enim domus meae per cancellos prospexi,
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7 et video parvulos, considero vecordem iuvenem,
I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
8 qui transit per plateam iuxta angulum, et prope viam domus illius, graditur
passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
9 in obscuro, advesperascente die, in noctis tenebris, et caligine.
in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 Et ecce occurrit illi mulier ornatu meretricio, praeparata ad decipiendas animas: garrula, et vaga,
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 quietis impatiens, nec valens in domo consistere pedibus suis,
She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.
12 nunc foris, nunc in plateis, nunc iuxta angulos insidians.
Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
13 Apprehensumque deosculatur iuvenem, et procaci vultu blanditur, dicens:
So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 Victimas pro salute vovi, hodie reddidi vota mea.
“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15 idcirco egressa sum in occursum tuum, desiderans te videre, et reperi.
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16 Intexui funibus lectulum meum, stravi tapetibus pictis ex Aegypto.
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 aspersi cubile meum myrrha, et aloe, et cinnamomo.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Veni, inebriemur uberibus, et fruamur cupitis amplexibus, donec illucescat dies.
Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 non est enim vir in domo sua, abiit via longissima.
For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20 sacculum pecuniae secum tulit: in die plenae lunae reversurus est in domum suam.
He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21 Irretivit eum multis sermonibus, et blanditiis labiorum protraxit illum.
With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22 Statim eam sequitur quasi bos ductus ad victimam, et quasi agnus lasciviens, et ignorans quod ad vincula stultus trahatur,
He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
23 donec transfigat sagitta iecur eius: velut si avis festinet ad laqueum, et nescit quod de periculo animae illius agitur.
Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.
24 Nunc ergo fili mi, audi me, et attende verbis oris mei.
Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Ne abstrahatur in viis illius mens tua: neque decipiaris semitis eius.
Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,
26 multos enim vulneratos deiecit, et fortissimi quique interfecti sunt ab ea.
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
