My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.

Fili mi, ne obliviscaris legis meæ, et præcepta mea cor tuum custodiat:

Forget not then, my son, the teaching I give thee; lock these words of mine close in thy bosom;

For they shall add to thee length of days, and years of life and peace.

longitudinem enim dierum, et annos vitæ, et pacem, apponent tibi.

long years they shall bring thee of life well spent, and therewith prosperity.

Let not mercy and truth leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart:

Misericordia et veritas te non deserant; circumda eas gutturi tuo, et describe in tabulis cordis tui:

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;

And thou shalt find grace and good understanding before God and men.

et invenies gratiam, et disciplinam bonam, coram Deo et hominibus.

so both to God and man thou shalt be friend and confidant.

Have confidence in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence.

Habe fiduciam in Domino ex toto corde tuo, et ne innitaris prudentiæ tuæ.

Put all thy heart’s confidence in the Lord, on thy own skill relying never;

In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.

In omnibus viis tuis cogita illum, et ipse diriget gressus tuos.

wilt thou but keep him in thy thoughts wherever thou goest, he will shew thee the straight path.

Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil:

Ne sis sapiens apud temetipsum; time Deum, et recede a malo:

Do not give thyself airs of wisdom; enough that thou shouldst fear God and shun ill-doing;

For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones.

sanitas quippe erit umbilico tuo, et irrigatio ossium tuorum.

here is health for the midmost of thy being, here is sap for the marrow of thy bones.

Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits:

Honora Dominum de tua substantia, et de primitiis omnium frugum tuarum da ei:

Pay the Lord his due with what goods thou hast, letting him share the first-fruits of every crop;

And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine.

et implebuntur horrea tua saturitate, et vino torcularia tua redundabunt.

so shall plenty fill thy barn, so shall thy wine-press overflow at the vintage.

My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised by him:

Disciplinam Domini, fili mi, ne abjicias, nec deficias cum ab eo corriperis:

My son, do not undervalue the correction the Lord sends thee, do not be unmanned when he reproves thy faults.

For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.

quem enim diligit Dominus, corripit, et quasi pater in filio complacet sibi.

It is where he loves that he bestows correction, like a father whose son is dear to him.

Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence:

Beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam, et qui affluit prudentia.

Happy the man whose treasure-trove is wisdom, who is rich in discernment;

The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest and purest gold:

Melior est acquisitio ejus negotiatione argenti, et auri primi et purissimi fructus ejus.

silver and finest gold are less profitable in the handling.

She is more precious than all riches: and all the things that are desired, are not to be compared with her.

Pretiosior est cunctis opibus, et omnia quæ desiderantur huic non valent comparari.

More rare is it than all things else; no prize thou covetest that can match it.

Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.

Longitudo dierum in dextera ejus, et in sinistra illius divitiæ et gloria.

Long life wisdom holds out to thee in one hand, riches and glory in the other;

Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable.

Viæ ejus viæ pulchræ, et omnes semitæ illius pacificæ.

where she guides, journeying is pleasant, where she points the way, all is peace.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed.

Lignum vitæ est his qui apprehenderint eam, et qui tenuerit eam beatus.

Take hold of her, clasp her to thee, and the Tree of Life itself could not make thee more blessed.

The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence.

Dominus sapientia fundavit terram; stabilivit cælos prudentia.

Not without these, wisdom and discernment, the Lord based earth, the Lord framed heaven;

By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.

Sapientia illius eruperunt abyssi, et nubes rore concrescunt.

not without skill of his did the waters well up from beneath us, or the dews fall in mist.

My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel:

Fili mi, ne effluant hæc ab oculis tuis. Custodi legem atque consilium,

My son, never lose sight of what I am telling thee; cling to the wholesome dictates of prudence,

And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth.

et erit vita animæ tuæ, et gratia faucibus tuis.

that will quicken life within thee, sparkle like jewels on thy breast.

Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:

Tunc ambulabis fiducialiter in via tua, et pes tuus non impinget.

Securely thou shalt walk, with no fear of stumbling,

If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Si dormieris, non timebis; quiesces, et suavis erit somnus tuus.

fearlessly thou shalt lie down to rest, and enjoy untroubled sleep;

Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee.

Ne paveas repentino terrore, et irruentes tibi potentias impiorum.

let no sudden alarm affright thee, though godless enemies press thee hard;

For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.

Dominus enim erit in latere tuo, et custodiet pedem tuum, ne capiaris.

the Lord will be at thy side, and keep thy feet clear of the snares they lay for thee.

Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.

Noli prohibere benefacere eum qui potest: si vales, et ipse benefac.

Suffer him to do kindness who may, and thou thyself, when thou mayest, do kindness;

Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and to morrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.

Ne dicas amico tuo: Vade, et revertere: cras dabo tibi: cum statim possis dare.

never bid a friend come back tomorrow for the gift that might be made to-day.

Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.

Ne moliaris amico tuo malum, cum ille in te habeat fiduciam.

Never plot harm against the friend that suspects no harm of thee,

Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.

Ne contendas adversus hominem frustra, cum ipse tibi nihil mali fecerit.

or pick a quarrel with one who has done thee no injury.

Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:

Ne æmuleris hominem injustum, nec imiteris vias ejus:

Do not envy the prosperity of the wrong-doer, and be led away by his example;

For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.

quia abominatio Domini est omnis illusor, et cum simplicibus sermocinatio ejus.

knavery the Lord hates, and keeps for honest men his familiar friendship.

Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed.

Egestas a Domino in domo impii; habitacula autem justorum benedicentur.

Still on the home of the wicked the Lord’s ban falls, his blessing where uprightness dwells;

He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.

Ipse deludet illusores, et mansuetis dabit gratiam.

he laughs at the mocker, grants his favours to the humble,

The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.

Gloriam sapientes possidebunt; stultorum exaltatio ignominia.

and the wise shall win renown; only to their shame are fools exalted.