The Book of Proverbs — Liber Proverbiorum
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Chapter 3
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Douay-Rheims><Vulgate><Knox Bible
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My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.
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Fili mi, ne obliviscaris legis meæ, et præcepta mea cor tuum custodiat:
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Forget not then, my son, the teaching I give thee; lock these words of mine close in thy bosom;
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For they shall add to thee length of days, and years of life and peace.
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longitudinem enim dierum, et annos vitæ, et pacem, apponent tibi.
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long years they shall bring thee of life well spent, and therewith prosperity.
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Let not mercy and truth leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart:
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Misericordia et veritas te non deserant; circumda eas gutturi tuo, et describe in tabulis cordis tui:
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Two things must never leave thee, kindness and loyalty; be these the seals that hang about thy neck, graven be this inscription with thy heart for tablet;
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And thou shalt find grace and good understanding before God and men.
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et invenies gratiam, et disciplinam bonam, coram Deo et hominibus.
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so both to God and man thou shalt be friend and confidant.
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Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence.
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Habe fiduciam in Domino ex toto corde tuo, et ne innitaris prudentiæ tuæ.
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Put all thy heart’s confidence in the Lord, on thy own skill relying never;
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In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.
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In omnibus viis tuis cogita illum, et ipse diriget gressus tuos.
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wilt thou but keep him in thy thoughts wherever thou goest, he will shew thee the straight path.
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Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil:
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Ne sis sapiens apud temetipsum; time Deum, et recede a malo:
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Do not give thyself airs of wisdom; enough that thou shouldst fear God and shun ill-doing;
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For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones.
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sanitas quippe erit umbilico tuo, et irrigatio ossium tuorum.
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here is health for the midmost of thy being, here is sap for the marrow of thy bones.
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Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits:
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Honora Dominum de tua substantia, et de primitiis omnium frugum tuarum da ei:
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Pay the Lord his due with what goods thou hast, letting him share the first-fruits of every crop;
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And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine.
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et implebuntur horrea tua saturitate, et vino torcularia tua redundabunt.
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so shall plenty fill thy barn, so shall thy wine-press overflow at the vintage.
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My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised by him:
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Disciplinam Domini, fili mi, ne abjicias, nec deficias cum ab eo corriperis:
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My son, do not undervalue the correction the Lord sends thee, do not be unmanned when he reproves thy faults.
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For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.
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quem enim diligit Dominus, corripit, et quasi pater in filio complacet sibi.
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It is where he loves that he bestows correction, like a father whose son is dear to him.
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Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence:
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Beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam, et qui affluit prudentia.
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Happy the man whose treasure-trove is wisdom, who is rich in discernment;
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The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest and purest gold:
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Melior est acquisitio ejus negotiatione argenti, et auri primi et purissimi fructus ejus.
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silver and finest gold are less profitable in the handling.
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She is more precious than all riches: and all the things that are desired, are not to be compared with her.
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Pretiosior est cunctis opibus, et omnia quæ desiderantur huic non valent comparari.
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More rare is it than all things else; no prize thou covetest that can match it.
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Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.
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Longitudo dierum in dextera ejus, et in sinistra illius divitiæ et gloria.
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Long life wisdom holds out to thee in one hand, riches and glory in the other;
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Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable.
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Viæ ejus viæ pulchræ, et omnes semitæ illius pacificæ.
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where she guides, journeying is pleasant, where she points the way, all is peace.
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She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed.
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Lignum vitæ est his qui apprehenderint eam, et qui tenuerit eam beatus.
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Take hold of her, clasp her to thee, and the Tree of Life itself could not make thee more blessed.
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The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence.
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Dominus sapientia fundavit terram; stabilivit cælos prudentia.
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Not without these, wisdom and discernment, the Lord based earth, the Lord framed heaven;
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By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.
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Sapientia illius eruperunt abyssi, et nubes rore concrescunt.
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not without skill of his did the waters well up from beneath us, or the dews fall in mist.
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My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel:
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Fili mi, ne effluant hæc ab oculis tuis. Custodi legem atque consilium,
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My son, never lose sight of what I am telling thee; cling to the wholesome dictates of prudence,
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And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth.
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et erit vita animæ tuæ, et gratia faucibus tuis.
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that will quicken life within thee, sparkle like jewels on thy breast.
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Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:
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Tunc ambulabis fiducialiter in via tua, et pes tuus non impinget.
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Securely thou shalt walk, with no fear of stumbling,
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If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
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Si dormieris, non timebis; quiesces, et suavis erit somnus tuus.
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fearlessly thou shalt lie down to rest, and enjoy untroubled sleep;
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Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee.
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Ne paveas repentino terrore, et irruentes tibi potentias impiorum.
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let no sudden alarm affright thee, though godless enemies press thee hard;
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For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.
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Dominus enim erit in latere tuo, et custodiet pedem tuum, ne capiaris.
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the Lord will be at thy side, and keep thy feet clear of the snares they lay for thee.
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Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.
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Noli prohibere benefacere eum qui potest: si vales, et ipse benefac.
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Suffer him to do kindness who may, and thou thyself, when thou mayest, do kindness;
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Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and to morrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.
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Ne dicas amico tuo: Vade, et revertere: cras dabo tibi: cum statim possis dare.
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never bid a friend come back tomorrow for the gift that might be made to-day.
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Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.
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Ne moliaris amico tuo malum, cum ille in te habeat fiduciam.
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Never plot harm against the friend that suspects no harm of thee,
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Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.
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Ne contendas adversus hominem frustra, cum ipse tibi nihil mali fecerit.
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or pick a quarrel with one who has done thee no injury.
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Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:
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Ne æmuleris hominem injustum, nec imiteris vias ejus:
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Do not envy the prosperity of the wrong-doer, and be led away by his example;
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For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.
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quia abominatio Domini est omnis illusor, et cum simplicibus sermocinatio ejus.
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knavery the Lord hates, and keeps for honest men his familiar friendship.
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Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
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Egestas a Domino in domo impii; habitacula autem justorum benedicentur.
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Still on the home of the wicked the Lord’s ban falls, his blessing where uprightness dwells;
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He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.
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Ipse deludet illusores, et mansuetis dabit gratiam.
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he laughs at the mocker, grants his favours to the humble,
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The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.
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Gloriam sapientes possidebunt; stultorum exaltatio ignominia.
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and the wise shall win renown; only to their shame are fools exalted.