The Book of Proverbs — Liber Proverbiorum
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Chapter 18
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Douay-Rheims><Vulgate><Knox Bible
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He that hath a mind to depart from a friend seeketh occasions: he shall ever be subject to reproach.
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Occasiones quærit qui vult recedere ab amico: omni tempore erit exprobrabilis.
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None so quick to find pretexts, as he that would break with a friend; he is in fault continually.
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A fool receiveth not the words of prudence: unless thou say those things which are in his heart.
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Non recipit stultus verba prudentiæ, nisi ea dixeris quæ versantur in corde ejus.
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For prudent warnings a fool has no stomach; nothing will serve but to echo his own thought.
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The wicked man when he is come into the depth of sins, contemneth: but ignominy and reproach follow him.
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Impius, cum in profundum venerit peccatorum, contemnit; sed sequitur eum ignominia et opprobrium.
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Little the godless man recks of it, when he falls into sin’s mire, but shame and reproach go with him.
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Words from the mouth of a man are as deep water: and the fountain of wisdom as an overflowing stream.
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Aqua profunda verba ex ore viri, et torrens redundans fons sapientiæ.
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Man’s utterance has currents like the waters that run deep; from wisdom’s well flows a stream in full flood.
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It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to decline from the truth of judgment.
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Accipere personam impii non est bonum, ut declines a veritate judicii.
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Foul shame it is to court favour with the wrong-doer by turning justice aside from its course.
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The lips of a fool intermeddle with strife: and his mouth provoketh quarrels.
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Labia stulti miscent se rixis, et os ejus jurgia provocat.
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A fool’s talk is for ever embroiling him; let him but open his mouth, blows will follow.
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The mouth of a fool is his destruction: and his lips are the ruin of his soul.
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Os stulti contritio ejus, et labia ipsius ruina animæ ejus.
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From his own words his undoing comes, from his own lips the snare.
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The words of the double tongued are as if they were harmless: and they reach even to the inner parts of the bowels. Fear casteth down the slothful: and the souls of the effeminate shall be hungry.
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Verba bilinguis quasi simplicia, et ipsa perveniunt usque ad interiora ventris. Pigrum dejicit timor; animæ autem effeminatorum esurient.
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Innocent enough seem the words of the back-biter, yet their poison sinks deep into a man’s belly.(Slow natures every fear disarms; womanish souls shall go hungry. )
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He that is loose and slack in his work, is the brother of him that wasteth his own works.
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Qui mollis et dissolutus est in opere suo frater est sua opera dissipantis.
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Dainty and listless go to work, thou art own brother to that work’s undoer.
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The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the just runneth to it, and shall be exalted.
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Turris fortissima nomen Domini; ad ipsum currit justus, et exaltabitur.
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No stronghold like the Lord’s name; there the just take refuge, high above reach.
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The substance of the rich man is the city of his strength, and as a strong wall compassing him about.
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Substantia divitis urbs roboris ejus, et quasi murus validus circumdans eum.
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What citadel has the rich man? His own possessions; he seems shut in by a wall impregnable;
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Before destruction, the heart of a man is exalted: and before he be glorified, it is humbled.
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Antequam conteratur, exaltatur cor hominis, et antequam glorificetur, humiliatur.
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yet hearts are proudest when ruin is nearest; humility is the ante-chamber of renown.
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He that answereth before he heareth sheweth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion.
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Qui prius respondet quam audiat, stultum se esse demonstrat, et confusione dignum.
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Let a man hear the tale out before he answer, or he is a fool manifest, marked out for shame.
14
The spirit of a man upholdeth his infirmity: but a spirit that is easily angered, who can bear?
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Spiritus viri sustentat imbecillitatem suam; spiritum vero ad irascendum facilem quis poterit sustinere?
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All mortal ills the spirit of man can bear; if the spirit itself be impatient, there is no lightening his lot.
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A wise heart shall acquire knowledge: and the ear of the wise seeketh instruction.
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Cor prudens possidebit scientiam, et auris sapientium quærit doctrinam.
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Prize of the discerning heart, quest of the wise man’s ear, is to learn truth.
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A man’s gift enlargeth his way, and maketh him room before princes.
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Donum hominis dilatat viam ejus, et ante principes spatium ei facit.
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The gift made, how it opens a man’s path for him, wins him access to the great!
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The just is first accuser of himself: his friend cometh, and shall search him.
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Justus prior est accusator sui: venit amicus ejus, et investigabit eum.
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An innocent man is the first to lay bare the truth; let his neighbour come and search him as he will.
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The lot suppresseth contentions, and determineth even between the mighty.
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Contradictiones comprimit sors, et inter potentes quoque dijudicat.
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The lot brings feuds to an end; greatness itself must bow to the lot’s decision.
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A brother that is helped by his brother, is like a strong city: and judgments are like the bars of cities.
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Frater qui adjuvatur a fratre quasi civitas firma, et judicia quasi vectes urbium.
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When brother helps brother, theirs is the strength of a fortress; their cause is like a city gate barred, unassailable.
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Of the fruit of a man’s mouth shall his belly be satisfied: and the offspring of his lips shall fill him.
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De fructu oris viri replebitur venter ejus, et genimina labiorum ipsius saturabunt eum.
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As mouth speaks, belly shall find its fare; a man’s own words bear the fruit that must needs content him.
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Death and life are in the power of the tongue: they that love it, shall eat the fruits thereof.
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Mors et vita in manu linguæ; qui diligunt eam comedent fructus ejus.
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Of life and death, tongue holds the keys; use it lovingly, and it will requite thee.
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He that hath found a good wife, hath found a good thing, and shall receive a pleasure from the Lord. He that driveth away a good wife, driveth away a good thing: but he that keepeth an adulteress, is foolish and wicked.
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Qui invenit mulierem bonam invenit bonum, et hauriet jucunditatem a Domino. Qui expellit mulierem bonam expellit bonum; qui autem tenet adulteram stultus est et impius.
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A good wife found is treasure found; the Lord is filling thy cup with happiness. (A good wife cast away is treasure cast away; leave to fools, and godless fools, the adulterous embrace. )
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The poor will speak with supplications, and the rich will speak roughly.
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Cum obsecrationibus loquetur pauper, et dives effabitur rigide.
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Poor men must cringe, for the rich to rate them.
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A man amiable in society, shall be more friendly than a brother.
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Vir amabilis ad societatem magis amicus erit quam frater.
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A man endeared to thee by fellowship will prove a better friend to thee than thy own kin.