The Book of Proverbs — Liber Proverbiorum
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Chapter 8
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| Knox Bible> | <Vulgate> | <Douay-Rheims |
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1 And, all the while, the wisdom that grants discernment is crying aloud, is never silent; | 1 Numquid non sapientia clamitat, et prudentia dat vocem suam? | 1 Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice? |
2 there she stands, on some high vantage-point by the public way, where the roads meet, | 2 In summis excelsisque verticibus supra viam, in mediis semitis stans, | 2 Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths, |
3 or at the city’s approach, close beside the gates, making proclamation. | 3 juxta portas civitatis, in ipsis foribus loquitur, dicens: | 3 Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying: |
4 To every man, high and low, her voice calls: | 4 O viri, ad vos clamito, et vox mea ad filios hominum. | 4 O ye men, to you I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. |
5 Here is better counsel for the simpleton; O foolish hearts, take warning! | 5 Intelligite, parvuli, astutiam, et insipientes, animadvertite. | 5 O little ones, understand subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice. |
6 Listen to me, I have matters of high moment to unfold, a plain message to deliver. | 6 Audite, quoniam de rebus magnis locutura sum, et aperientur labia mea ut recta prædicent. | 6 Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things. |
7 A tongue that speaks truth, lips that scorn impiety; | 7 Veritatem meditabitur guttur meum, et labia mea detestabuntur impium. | 7 My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness. |
8 here all is sound doctrine, no shifts, no evasions here. | 8 Justi sunt omnes sermones mei: non est in eis pravum quid, neque perversum; | 8 All my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them. |
9 No discerning heart, no well-stored mind, but will own it right and just. | 9 recti sunt intelligentibus, et æqui invenientibus scientiam. | 9 They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge. |
10 Here is counsel, here is instruction, better worth the winning than silver or the finest gold; | 10 Accipite disciplinam meam, et non pecuniam; doctrinam magis quam aurum eligite: | 10 Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold. |
11 wisdom is more to be coveted than any jewel; there is no beauty that can be matched with hers. | 11 melior est enim sapientia cunctis pretiosissimis, et omne desiderabile ei non potest comparari. | 11 For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it. |
12 What am I, the wisdom that speaks to you? To shrewdness I am a near neighbour, and I occupy myself with deep designs; | 12 Ego sapientia, habito in consilio, et eruditis intersum cogitationibus. | 12 I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts. |
13 but, since they must hate evil that fear the Lord, all pride and boastfulness, every mischievous design and every treacherous word I shun. | 13 Timor Domini odit malum: arrogantiam, et superbiam, et viam pravam, et os bilingue, detestor. | 13 The fear of the Lord hateth evil: I hate arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue. |
14 Good counsel is mine, and honourable dealing, discernment and high courage are my gifts; | 14 Meum est consilium et æquitas; mea est prudentia, mea est fortitudo. | 14 Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine. |
15 through me kings learn how to reign, law-givers how to lay down just decrees; | 15 Per me reges regnant, et legum conditores justa decernunt; | 15 By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things, |
16 through me chieftain and magistrate exercise their power aright. | 16 per me principes imperant, et potentes decernunt justitiam. | 16 By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice. |
17 Love me, and thou shalt earn my love; wait early at my doors, and thou shalt gain access to me. | 17 Ego diligentes me diligo, et qui mane vigilant ad me, invenient me. | 17 I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me. |
18 The gifts I bring with me are riches and honour, princely state and the divine favour. | 18 Mecum sunt divitiæ et gloria, opes superbæ et justitia. | 18 With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice. |
19 Mine is a yield better than gold or jewels, mine are revenues more precious than the finest silver. | 19 Melior est enim fructus meus auro et lapide pretioso, et genimina mea argento electo. | 19 For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver. |
20 A faithful course I tread, nor exceed the bounds of just retribution, | 20 In viis justitiæ ambulo, in medio semitarum judicii: | 20 I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment, |
21 failing never to enrich the souls that love me with abundant store. | 21 ut ditem diligentes me, et thesauros eorum repleam. | 21 That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures. |
22 The Lord made me his when first he went about his work, at the birth of time, before his creation began. | 22 Dominus possedit me in initio viarum suarum antequam quidquam faceret a principio. | 22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning. |
23 Long, long ago, before earth was fashioned, I held my course. | 23 Ab æterno ordinata sum, et ex antiquis antequam terra fieret. | 23 I was set up from eternity, and of old before the earth was made. |
24 Already I lay in the womb, when the depths were not yet in being, when no springs of water had yet broken; | 24 Nondum erant abyssi, et ego jam concepta eram: necdum fontes aquarum eruperant, | 24 The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived, neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out: |
25 when I was born, the mountains had not yet sunk on their firm foundations, and there were no hills; | 25 necdum montes gravi mole constiterant: ante colles ego parturiebar. | 25 The mountains with their huge bulk had not as yet been established: before the hills I was brought forth: |
26 not yet had he made the earth, or the rivers, or the solid framework of the world. | 26 Adhuc terram non fecerat, et flumina, et cardines orbis terræ. | 26 He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the world. |
27 I was there when he built the heavens, when he fenced in the waters with a vault inviolable, | 27 Quando præparabat cælos, aderam; quando certa lege et gyro vallabat abyssos; | 27 When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths: |
28 when he fixed the sky overhead, and levelled the fountain-springs of the deep. | 28 quando æthera firmabat sursum, et librabat fontes aquarum; | 28 When he established the sky above, and poised the fountains of waters: |
29 I was there when he enclosed the sea within its confines, forbidding the waters to transgress their assigned limits, when he poised the foundations of the world. | 29 quando circumdabat mari terminum suum, et legem ponebat aquis, ne transirent fines suos; quando appendebat fundamenta terræ: | 29 When he compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when he balanced the foundations of the earth; |
30 I was at his side, a master-workman, my delight increasing with each day, as I made play before him all the while; | 30 cum eo eram, cuncta componens. Et delectabar per singulos dies, ludens coram eo omni tempore, | 30 I was with him forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times; |
31 made play in this world of dust, with the sons of Adam for my play-fellows. | 31 ludens in orbe terrarum; et deliciæ meæ esse cum filiis hominum. | 31 Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men. |
32 Listen to me, then, you that are my sons, that follow, to your happiness, in the paths I shew you; | 32 Nunc ergo, filii, audite me: beati qui custodiunt vias meas. | 32 Now therefore, ye children, hear me: Blessed are they that keep my ways. |
33 listen to the teaching that will make you wise, instead of turning away from it. | 33 Audite disciplinam, et estote sapientes, et nolite abjicere eam. | 33 Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not. |
34 Blessed are they who listen to me, keep vigil, day by day, at my threshold, watching till I open my doors. | 34 Beatus homo qui audit me, et qui vigilat ad fores meas quotidie, et observat ad postes ostii mei. | 34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors. |
35 The man who wins me, wins life, drinks deep of the Lord’s favour; | 35 Qui me invenerit, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino. | 35 He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord: |
36 who fails, fails at his own bitter cost; to be my enemy is to be in love with death. | 36 Qui autem in me peccaverit, lædet animam suam; omnes qui me oderunt diligunt mortem. | 36 But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death. |
