See, where wisdom has built herself a house, carved out for herself those seven pillars of hers!

Sapientia ædificavit sibi domum: excidit columnas septem.

Wisdom hath built herself a house, she hath hewn her out seven pillars.

And now, her sacrificial victims slain, her wine mingled, her banquet spread,

Immolavit victimas suas, miscuit vinum, et proposuit mensam suam.

She hath slain her victims, mingled her wine, and set forth her table.

this way and that her maidens are dispatched, to city keep and city wall, bidding her guests make haste.

Misit ancillas suas ut vocarent ad arcem et ad mœnia civitatis.

She hath sent her maids to invite to the tower, and to the walls of the city:

Simple hearts, she says, draw near me; and to all that lack learning this is her cry,

Si quis est parvulus, veniat ad me. Et insipientibus locuta est:

Whosoever is a little one, let him come to me. And to the unwise she said:

Come and eat at my table, come and drink of the wine I have brewed for you;

Venite, comedite panem meum, et bibite vinum quod miscui vobis.

Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you.

say farewell to your childishness, and learn to live; follow all of you in the path that leads to discernment.

Relinquite infantiam, et vivite, et ambulate per vias prudentiæ.

Forsake childishness, and live, and walk by the ways of prudence.

(Rash souls there are, godless souls, that will not be taught or trained; who makes the attempt, gets only injury and abuse for his thanks.

Qui erudit derisorem, ipse injuriam sibi facit, et qui arguit impium, sibi maculam generat.

He that teacheth a scorner, doth an injury to himself: and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himself a blot.

With a rash fool never remonstrate; it will make him thy enemy; only the wise are grateful for a remonstrance.

Noli arguere derisorem, ne oderit te: argue sapientem, et diliget te.

Rebuke not a scorner lest he hate thee. Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Ever the wise profit by the opportunity to become wiser yet; ever the godly are the best learners. )

Da sapienti occasionem, et addetur ei sapientia; doce justum, et festinabit accipere.

Give an occasion to a wise man, and wisdom shall be added to him. Teach a just man, and he shall make haste to receive it.

True wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord; he best discerns, who has knowledge of holy things.

Principium sapientiæ timor Domini, et scientia sanctorum prudentia.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is prudence.

Long life I bring thee, and a full tale of years;

Per me enim multiplicabuntur dies tui, et addentur tibi anni vitæ.

For by me shall thy days be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee.

wisdom thyself shall profit, and misfortune fall only on the rash fools that earned it.

Si sapiens fueris, tibimetipsi eris; si autem illusor, solus portabis malum.

If thou be wise, thou shalt be so to thyself: and if a scorner, thou alone shalt bear the evil.

Out upon her silly clamour, the woman that is so crafty, yet knowledge has none!

Mulier stulta et clamosa, plenaque illecebris, et nihil omnino sciens,

A foolish woman and clamorous, and full of allurements, and knowing nothing at all,

At her door she sits, her chair commanding the city’s height,

sedit in foribus domus suæ, super sellam in excelso urbis loco,

Sat at the door of her house, upon a seat, in a high place of the city,

and cries aloud to such as pass by on their lawful errands.

ut vocaret transeuntes per viam, et pergentes itinere suo:

To call them that pass by the way, and go on their journey:

Simple hearts, she says, draw near me, and to all that lack learning this is her cry,

Qui est parvulus declinet ad me. Et vecordi locuta est:

He that is a little one, let him turn to me. And to the fool she said:

Stolen waters are sweetest, and bread is better eating when there is none to see.

Aquæ furtivæ dulciores sunt, et panis absconditus suavior.

Stolen waters are sweeter, and hidden bread is more pleasant.

Who shall warn them that dead men are her company, no guest of hers but is guest of the dark world beneath?

Et ignoravit quod ibi sint gigantes, et in profundis inferni convivæ ejus.

And he did not know that giants are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell.