Proverbs 6

1My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger,

Fili mi, si spoponderis pro amico tuo, defixisti apud extraneum manum tuam:

2Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.

illaqueatus es verbis oris tui, et captus propriis sermonibus.

3Do, therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend:

Fac ergo quod dico, fili mi, et temetipsum libera, quia incidisti in manum proximi tui. Discurre, festina, suscita amicum tuum.

4Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.

Ne dederis somnum oculis tuis, nec dormitent palpebræ tuæ.

5Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Eruere quasi damula de manu, et quasi avis de manu aucupis.

6Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:

Vade ad formicam, o piger, et considera vias ejus, et disce sapientiam.

7Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,

Quæ cum non habeat ducem, nec præceptorem, nec principem,

8Provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

parat in æstate cibum sibi, et congregat in messe quod comedat.

9How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

Usquequo, piger, dormies? quando consurges e somno tuo?

10Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:

Paululum dormies, paululum dormitabis, paululum conseres manus ut dormias;

11And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.

et veniet tibi quasi viator egestas, et pauperies quasi vir armatus. Si vero impiger fueris, veniet ut fons messis tua, et egestas longe fugiet a te.

12A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,

Homo apostata, vir inutilis, graditur ore perverso;

13He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.

annuit oculis, terit pede, digito loquitur,

14With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.

pravo corde machinatur malum, et omni tempore jurgia seminat.

15To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.

Huic extemplo veniet perditio sua, et subito conteretur, nec habebit ultra medicinam.

16Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:

Sex sunt quæ odit Dominus, et septimum detestatur anima ejus:

17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

oculos sublimes, linguam mendacem, manus effundentes innoxium sanguinem,

18A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,

cor machinans cogitationes pessimas, pedes veloces ad currendum in malum,

19A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.

proferentem mendacia testem fallacem, et eum qui seminat inter fratres discordias.

20My son, keep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

Conserva, fili mi, præcepta patris tui, et ne dimittas legem matris tuæ.

21Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.

Liga ea in corde tuo jugiter, et circumda gutturi tuo.

22When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee, and when thou awakest, talk with them.

Cum ambulaveris, gradiantur tecum; cum dormieris, custodiant te: et evigilans loquere cum eis.

23Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

Quia mandatum lucerna est, et lex lux, et via vitæ increpatio disciplinæ:

24That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.

ut custodiant te a muliere mala, et a blanda lingua extraneæ.

25Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:

Non concupiscat pulchritudinem ejus cor tuum, nec capiaris nutibus illius:

26For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.

pretium enim scorti vix est unius panis, mulier autem viri pretiosam animam capit.

27Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?

Numquid potest homo abscondere ignem in sinu suo, ut vestimenta illius non ardeant?

28Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?

aut ambulare super prunas, ut non comburantur plantæ ejus?

29So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.

sic qui ingreditur ad mulierem proximi sui, non erit mundus cum tetigerit eam.

30The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:

Non grandis est culpa cum quis furatus fuerit: furatur enim ut esurientem impleat animam;

31And if he be taken, he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.

deprehensus quoque reddet septuplum, et omnem substantiam domus suæ tradet.

32But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:

Qui autem adulter est, propter cordis inopiam perdet animam suam;

33He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:

turpitudinem et ignominiam congregat sibi, et opprobrium illius non delebitur:

34Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,

quia zelus et furor viri non parcet in die vindictæ,

35Nor will he yield to any man’s prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.

nec acquiescet cujusquam precibus, nec suscipiet pro redemptione dona plurima.