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

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

Sapientia ædificavit sibi domum: excidit columnas septem.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Principium sapientiæ timor Domini, et scientia sanctorum prudentia.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ut vocaret transeuntes per viam, et pergentes itinere suo:

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

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

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

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

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

Aquæ furtivæ dulciores sunt, et panis absconditus suavior.

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

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

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