1 fili mi si spoponderis pro amico tuo
defixisti apud extraneum manum tuam
2 inlaqueatus es verbis oris tui et captus propriis sermonibus
3 fac ergo quod dico fili mi et temet ipsum libera
quia incidisti in manu proximi tui
discurre festina suscita amicum tuum
4 ne dederis somnum oculis tuis nec dormitent palpebrae tuae
5 eruere quasi dammula de manu
et quasi avis de insidiis aucupis
6 vade ad formicam o piger et considera vias eius
et disce sapientiam
7 quae cum non habeat ducem nec praeceptorem nec principem
8 parat aestate cibum sibi
et congregat in messe quod comedat
9 usquequo piger dormis quando consurges ex somno tuo
10 paululum dormies paululum dormitabis
paululum conseres manus ut dormias
11 et veniet tibi quasi viator egestas
et pauperies quasi vir armatus
12 homo apostata vir inutilis graditur ore perverso
13 annuit oculis terit pede digito loquitur
14 pravo corde machinatur malum
et in omni tempore iurgia seminat
15 huic extemplo veniet perditio sua
et subito conteretur nec habebit ultra medicinam
16 sex sunt quae odit Dominus et septimum detestatur anima eius
17 oculos sublimes linguam mendacem
manus effundentes innoxium sanguinem
18 cor machinans cogitationes pessimas
pedes veloces ad currendum in malum
19 proferentem mendacia testem fallacem
et eum qui seminat inter fratres discordias
20 conserva fili mi praecepta patris tui
et ne dimittas legem matris tuae
21 liga ea in corde tuo iugiter et circumda gutturi tuo
22 cum ambulaveris gradiantur tecum
cum dormieris custodiant te et evigilans loquere cum eis
23 quia mandatum lucerna est et lex lux
et via vitae increpatio disciplinae
24 ut custodiant te a muliere mala
et a blanda lingua extraneae
25 non concupiscat pulchritudinem eius cor tuum
nec capiaris nutibus illius
26 pretium enim scorti vix unius est panis
mulier autem viri pretiosam animam capit
27 numquid abscondere potest homo ignem in sinu suo
ut vestimenta illius non ardeant
28 aut ambulare super prunas
et non conburentur plantae eius
29 sic qui ingreditur ad mulierem proximi sui
non erit mundus cum tetigerit eam
30 non grandis est culpae cum quis furatus fuerit
furatur enim ut esurientem impleat animam
31 deprehensus quoque reddet septuplum
et omnem substantiam domus suae tradet
32 qui autem adulter est propter cordis inopiam perdet animam suam
33 turpitudinem et ignominiam congregat sibi
et obprobrium illius non delebitur
34 quia zelus et furor viri non parcet in die vindictae
35 nec adquiescet cuiusquam precibus
nec suscipiet pro redemptione dona plurima
1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, 2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. 3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. 4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. 5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter , and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 ¶ Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
12 ¶ A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. 13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; 14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. 15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 ¶ These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
20 ¶ My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. 22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. 23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: 24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. 25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. 26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. 27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? 28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? 29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent. 30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; 31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. 32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. 33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. 34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. 35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.