Proverbiorum 8
1 Numquid non sapientia clamitat, et prudentia dat vocem suam?
Doth not wisdom cry aloud, And understanding put forth her voice?
2 In summis, excelsisque verticibus supra viam, in mediis semitis stans,
Upon the top of the high places, By the wayside, In the cross-ways, She taketh her station.
3 iuxta portas civitatis in ipsis foribus loquitur, dicens:
By the side of the gates, In the entrance of the city, In the approaches to the doors, she crieth aloud.
4 O viri, ad vos clamito, et vox mea ad filios hominum.
“To you, O men! do I call, And my voice is to the sons of men!
5 Intelligite parvuli astutiam, et insipientes animadvertite.
O ye simple ones! learn wisdom, And ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart!
6 Audite, quoniam de rebus magnis locutura sum: et aperientur labia mea, ut recta praedicent.
Hear, for I speak excellent things, And my lips utter that which is right.
7 Veritatem meditabitur guttur meum, et labia mea detestabuntur impium.
For my mouth speaketh truth, And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 Iusti sunt omnes sermones mei, non est in eis pravum quid, neque perversum.
All the words of my mouth are in uprightness; There is nothing crooked or deceitful in them;
9 recti sunt intelligentibus, et aequi invenientibus scientiam.
They are all plain to the man of understanding, And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Accipite disciplinam meam, et non pecuniam: doctrinam magis, quam aurum eligite.
Receive my instruction, and not silver. And knowledge rather than choice gold!
11 Melior est enim sapientia cunctis opibus pretiosissimis: et omne desiderabile ei non potest comparari.
For wisdom is better than pearls, And no precious things are to be compared with her.
12 Ego sapientia habito in consilio, et eruditis intersum cogitationibus.
“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out the knowledge of sagacious counsels.
13 Timor Domini odit malum: arrogantiam, et superbiam, et viam pravam, et os bilingue detestor.
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, And the deceitful mouth, do I hate.
14 Meum est consilium, et aequitas, mea est prudentia, mea est fortitudo.
Counsel is mine, and sound reason; I am understanding; I have strength.
15 Per me reges regnant, et legum conditores iusta decernunt:
By me kings reign, And princes decree justice.
16 Per me principes imperant, et potentes decernunt iustitiam.
By me princes rule, And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 Ego diligentes me diligo: et qui mane vigilant ad me, invenient me.
I love them that love me, And they who seek me early shall find me.
18 Mecum sunt divitiae, et gloria, opes superbae, et iustitia.
Riches and honor are with me; Yea, durable riches and prosperity.
19 Melior est enim fructus meus auro, et lapide pretioso, et genimina me argento electo.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold. And my revenue than choice silver.
20 In viis iustitiae ambulo, in medio semitarum iudicii,
I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of equity.
21 ut ditem diligentes me, et thesauros eorum repleam.
I cause those who love me to possess substance; Yea, I fill their treasuries.
22 Dominus possedit me in initio viarum suarum, antequam quidquam faceret a principio.
“The LORD created me, the firstling of his course, Before his works, of old;
23 Ab aeterno ordinata sum, et ex antiquis antequam terra fieret.
I was anointed from everlasting, From the beginning, even before the earth was made.
24 Nondum erant abyssi, et ego iam concepta eram: necdum fontes aquarum eruperant:
When as yet there were no deeps, I was brought forth. When there were no springs, abounding with water.
25 necdum montes gravi mole constiterant: ante colles ego parturiebar:
Before the mountains were settled, Yea, before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 adhuc terram non fecerat, et flumina, et cardines orbis terrae.
Ere yet he had made the land and the wastes, And the first of the clods of the earth.
27 Quando praeparabat caelos, aderam: quando certa lege, et gyro vallabat abyssos:
When he framed the heavens, I was there; When he drew a circle upon the face of the deep;
28 quando aethera firmabat sursum, et librabat fontes aquarum:
When he made firm the sky above, And the fountains of the deep rushed forth;
29 quando circumdabat mari terminum suum, et legem ponebat aquis, ne transirent fines suos: quando appendebat fundamenta terrae:
When he gave to the sea its bounds, that the waters should not pass their border; When he marked out the foundations of the earth, —
30 Cum eo eram cuncta componens: et delectabar per singulos dies, ludens coram eo omni tempore;
Then was I by him as a master-builder; I was his delight day by day, Exulting before him at all times;
31 ludens in orbe terrarum: et deliciae meae esse, cum filiis hominum.
Exulting in the habitable part of his earth, And my delight was with the sons of men.
32 Nunc ergo filii audite me: Beati, qui custodiunt vias meas.
“Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me! For happy are they who keep my ways!
33 Audite disciplinam, et estote sapientes, et nolite abiicere eam.
Hear instruction, and be wise! Yea, reject it not!
34 Beatus homo qui audit me, et qui vigilat ad fores meas quotidie, et observat ad postes ostii mei.
Happy the man who hearkeneth to me, Who watcheth day by day at my gates, Who waiteth at the posts of my doors;
35 Qui me invenerit, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino:
For he that findeth me findeth life, And obtaineth favor from the LORD;
36 qui autem in me peccaverit, laedet animam suam. Omnes, qui me oderunt, diligunt mortem.
But he who misseth me doeth violence to himself; All they who hate me love death.”
