Proverbiorum 7
1 fili mi custodi sermones meos et praecepta mea reconde tibi
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 custodiat 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 in platea iuxta angulum et propter 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 mulier occurrit illi ornatu meretricio praeparata ad capiendas animas garrula et vaga
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 quietis inpatiens 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 adprehensumque 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 debui 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 repperi
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16 intexui funibus lectum 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 murra et aloe et cinnamomo
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 veni inebriemur uberibus donec inlucescat dies et fruamur cupitis amplexibus
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 domum suam
He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21 inretivit 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 quia 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 audi me et adtende verba 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.
