< Proverbs 5 >

1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen carefully as I explain what makes sense,
Fili mi, attende ad sapientiam meam, et prudentiæ meæ inclina aurem tuam:
2 so you can make good decisions and protect knowledge with your lips.
ut custodias cogitationes, et disciplinam labia tua conservent. Ne attendas fallaciæ mulieris;
3 For the lips of an immoral woman may taste as sweet as honey, the kisses of her mouth may be as smooth as oil,
favus enim distillans labia meretricis, et nitidius oleo guttur ejus:
4 but in the end what you get from her is the bitterness of wormwood and the sharp pain of being cut with a two-edged sword.
novissima autem illius amara quasi absinthium, et acuta quasi gladius biceps.
5 She leads you down to death; she takes you down to the grave. (Sheol h7585)
Pedes ejus descendunt in mortem, et ad inferos gressus illius penetrant. (Sheol h7585)
6 She doesn't follow the path that leads to life—she wanders away and doesn't even know she's lost.
Per semitam vitæ non ambulant; vagi sunt gressus ejus et investigabiles.
7 Now, my son, listen to me; don't reject what I have taught you.
Nunc ergo fili mi, audi me, et ne recedas a verbis oris mei.
8 Stay far away from her! Don't go near the door of her house!
Longe fac ab ea viam tuam, et ne appropinques foribus domus ejus.
9 Otherwise you'll surrender your honor to others, and your character to cruel people.
Ne des alienis honorem tuum, et annos tuos crudeli:
10 Strangers will spend your wealth; everything you've worked for will go to someone else.
ne forte impleantur extranei viribus tuis, et labores tui sint in domo aliena,
11 When you come to the end of your life you'll moan in pain as disease destroys your body.
et gemas in novissimis, quando consumpseris carnes tuas et corpus tuum, et dicas:
12 You'll say, “How I used to hate discipline, and my mind rebelled against being corrected!
Cur detestatus sum disciplinam, et increpationibus non acquievit cor meum,
13 I didn't listen to what my teacher said. I didn't pay attention to my instructors.
nec audivi vocem docentium me, et magistris non inclinavi aurem meam?
14 Now I'm on the verge of being completely disgraced before everyone in the community.”
pene fui in omni malo, in medio ecclesiæ et synagogæ.
15 Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.
Bibe aquam de cisterna tua, et fluenta putei tui;
16 Why should your springs be spilled outside, your streams of water poured out in the streets?
deriventur fontes tui foras, et in plateis aquas tuas divide.
17 Keep them for yourselves alone. They're not for you to share with strangers.
Habeto eas solus, nec sint alieni participes tui.
18 May your spring of water be blessed, and may you enjoy the wife you married when you were young.
Sit vena tua benedicta, et lætare cum muliere adolescentiæ tuæ.
19 May she be to you a loving deer, a graceful doe. May her breasts always be intoxicating to you; may you be drunk on her love forever.
Cerva carissima, et gratissimus hinnulus: ubera ejus inebrient te in omni tempore; in amore ejus delectare jugiter.
20 Why, my son, become intoxicated with an immoral woman? Why embrace the breasts of a woman who acts like a prostitute?
Quare seduceris, fili mi, ab aliena, et foveris in sinu alterius?
21 For the Lord sees everything people do, the Lord investigates everywhere they go.
Respicit Dominus vias hominis, et omnes gressus ejus considerat.
22 The wicked are trapped by their evil actions; the cords of their sins tie them up.
Iniquitates suas capiunt impium, et funibus peccatorum suorum constringitur.
23 They will die because they lack self-control, lost because of their great stupidity.
Ipse morietur, quia non habuit disciplinam, et in multitudine stultitiæ suæ decipietur.

< Proverbs 5 >