Fili mi, custodi sermones meos, et præcepta mea reconde tibi. Fili,
My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,
serva mandata mea, et vives ; et legem meam quasi pupillam oculi tui :
Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:
liga eam in digitis tuis, scribe illam in tabulis cordis tui.
Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.
Dic sapientiæ : Soror mea es, et prudentiam voca amicam tuam :
Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,
ut custodiant te a muliere extranea, et ab aliena quæ verba sua dulcia facit.
That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.
De fenestra enim domus meæ per cancellos prospexi,
For I looked out of the window of my house through the lattice,
et video parvulos ; considero vecordem juvenem,
And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,
qui transit per plateam juxta angulum et prope viam domus illius graditur :
Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house,
in obscuro, advesperascente die, in noctis tenebris et caligine.
In the dark when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night.
Et ecce occurrit illi mulier ornatu meretricio, præparata ad capiendas animas : garrula et vaga,
And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot's attire, prepared to deceive souls: talkative and wandering,
quietis impatiens, nec valens in domo consistere pedibus suis ;
Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,
nunc foris, nunc in plateis, nunc juxta angulos insidians.
Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.
Apprehensumque deosculatur juvenem, et procaci vultu blanditur, dicens :
And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:
Victimas pro salute vovi ; hodie reddidi vota mea :
I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.
idcirco egressa sum in occursum tuum, desiderans te videre, et reperi.
Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.
Intexui funibus lectulum meum ; stravi tapetibus pictis ex Ægypto :
I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt.
aspersi cubile meum myrrha, et aloë, et cinnamomo.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Veni, inebriemur uberibus, et fruamur cupitis amplexibus donec illucescat dies.
Come, let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.
Non est enim vir in domo sua : abiit via longissima :
For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey.
sacculum pecuniæ secum tulit ; in die plenæ lunæ reversurus est in domum suam.
He took with him a bag of money: he will return home the day of the full moon.
Irretivit eum multis sermonibus, et blanditiis labiorum protraxit illum.
She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.
Statim eam sequitur quasi bos ductus ad victimam, et quasi agnus lasciviens, et ignorans quod ad vincula stultus trahatur :
Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and as a lamb playing the wanton, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds,
donec transfigat sagitta jecur ejus, velut si avis festinet ad laqueum, et nescit quod de periculo animæ illius agitur.
Till the arrow pierce his liver: as if a bird should make haste to the snare, and knoweth not that his life is in danger.
Nunc ergo, fili mi, audi me, et attende verbis oris mei.
Now, therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Ne abstrahatur in viis illius mens tua, neque decipiaris semitis ejus ;
Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.
multos enim vulneratos dejecit, et fortissimi quique interfecti sunt ab ea.
For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.
Viæ inferi domus ejus, penetrantes in interiora mortis.
Her house is the way to hell, reaching even to the inner chambers of death.