¹Audite,Listen,filii, disciplinam patris,sons, to the discipline of a father,et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.

¹Audite,Listen,filii, disciplinam patris,sons, to the discipline of a father,et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.

²Donum bonum tribuam vobis:I will bestow upon you a good gift.legem meam ne derelinquatis.Do not relinquish my law.

²Donum bonum tribuam vobis:I will bestow upon you a good gift.legem meam ne derelinquatis.Do not relinquish my law.

³NamFor I,et ego filius fui patris mei,too,tenelluswas the son of my father,et unigenitus coram matre mea.tender and an only son in the sight of my mother.

³NamFor I,et ego filius fui patris mei,too,tenelluswas the son of my father,et unigenitus coram matre mea.tender and an only son in the sight of my mother.

⁴Et docebat me,And he taught me,atque dicebat:and he also said:Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum;“Let your heart accept my words.custodi præcepta mea,Keep my precepts,et vives.and you shall live.

⁴Et docebat me,And he taught me,atque dicebat:and he also said:Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum;“Let your heart accept my words.custodi præcepta mea,Keep my precepts,et vives.and you shall live.

⁵Posside sapientiam,Obtain wisdom,posside prudentiam: ne obliviscaris,obtain prudence. May you neither forget,neque declines a verbis oris mei.nor turn away from, the words of my mouth.

⁵Posside sapientiam,Obtain wisdom,posside prudentiam: ne obliviscaris,obtain prudence. May you neither forget,neque declines a verbis oris mei.nor turn away from, the words of my mouth.

⁶Ne dimittas eam,Do not send her away,et custodiet te:and she will guard you.dilige eam,Love her,et conservabit te.and she will preserve you.

⁶Ne dimittas eam,Do not send her away,et custodiet te:and she will guard you.dilige eam,Love her,et conservabit te.and she will preserve you.

⁷Principium sapientiæ: posside sapientiam,The beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom,et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam.and, with all that you possess, to acquire prudence.

⁷Principium sapientiæ: posside sapientiam,The beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom,et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam.and, with all that you possess, to acquire prudence.

⁸Arripe illam, et exaltabit te;Grasp her, and she will exalt you.glorificaberis ab ea cum eam fueris amplexatus.You will be glorified by her, when you have embraced her.

⁸Arripe illam, et exaltabit te;Grasp her, and she will exalt you.glorificaberis ab ea cum eam fueris amplexatus.You will be glorified by her, when you have embraced her.

⁹Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum,She will bestow upon your head an increase in graces,et corona inclyta proteget te.and she will protect you with a noble crown.

⁹Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum,She will bestow upon your head an increase in graces,et corona inclyta proteget te.and she will protect you with a noble crown.

¹⁰Audi,Listen,fili mi,my son,et suscipe verba mea,and accept my words,ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitæ.so that years of life may be multiplied for you.

¹⁰Audi,Listen,fili mi,my son,et suscipe verba mea,and accept my words,ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitæ.so that years of life may be multiplied for you.

¹¹Viam sapientiæ monstrabo tibi;I will demonstrate to you the way of wisdom.ducam te per semitas æquitatis:I will lead you along the paths of equity.

¹¹Viam sapientiæ monstrabo tibi;I will demonstrate to you the way of wisdom.ducam te per semitas æquitatis:I will lead you along the paths of equity.

¹²quas cum ingressus fueris,When you have entered by these,non arctabuntur gressus tui,your steps will not be constrained,et currens non habebis offendiculum.and when running, you will have no obstacle.

¹²quas cum ingressus fueris,When you have entered by these,non arctabuntur gressus tui,your steps will not be constrained,et currens non habebis offendiculum.and when running, you will have no obstacle.

¹³Tene disciplinam,Take hold of discipline.ne dimittas eam;Do not dismiss it.custodi illam,Guard it,quia ipsa est vita tua.for it is your life.

¹³Tene disciplinam,Take hold of discipline.ne dimittas eam;Do not dismiss it.custodi illam,Guard it,quia ipsa est vita tua.for it is your life.

¹⁴Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum,Do not delight in the paths of the impious,nec tibi placeat malorum via.nor permit the way of evil-doers to please you.

¹⁴Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum,Do not delight in the paths of the impious,nec tibi placeat malorum via.nor permit the way of evil-doers to please you.

¹⁵Fuge ab ea,Take flight from it.nec transeas per illam;Do not pass close to it.declina,Turn awayet desere eam.and abandon it.

¹⁵Fuge ab ea,Take flight from it.nec transeas per illam;Do not pass close to it.declina,Turn awayet desere eam.and abandon it.

¹⁶Non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint,For they do not sleep, unless they have done evil.et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.

¹⁶Non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint,For they do not sleep, unless they have done evil.et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.

¹⁷Comedunt panem impietatis,They eat the bread of impiety,et vinum iniquitatis bibunt.and they drink the wine of iniquity.

¹⁷Comedunt panem impietatis,They eat the bread of impiety,et vinum iniquitatis bibunt.and they drink the wine of iniquity.

¹⁸Justorum autem semita quasi lux splendens procedit,But the path of the just is like a shining light:et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.it advances and increases, even to the day of completion.

¹⁸Justorum autem semita quasi lux splendens procedit,But the path of the just is like a shining light:et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.it advances and increases, even to the day of completion.

¹⁹Via impiorum tenebrosa;The way of the impious is darkened.nesciunt ubi corruant.They do not know where they may fall.

¹⁹Via impiorum tenebrosa;The way of the impious is darkened.nesciunt ubi corruant.They do not know where they may fall.

²⁰Fili mi,My son,ausculta sermones meos,pay attention to my sermons,et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.and incline your ear to my eloquent words.

²⁰Fili mi,My son,ausculta sermones meos,pay attention to my sermons,et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.and incline your ear to my eloquent words.

²¹Ne recedant ab oculis tuis:Let them not recede from your eyes.custodi ea in medio cordis tui:Keep them in the midst of your heart.

²¹Ne recedant ab oculis tuis:Let them not recede from your eyes.custodi ea in medio cordis tui:Keep them in the midst of your heart.

²²vita enim sunt invenientibus ea,For they are life to those who find themet universæ carni sanitas.and health to all that is flesh.

²²vita enim sunt invenientibus ea,For they are life to those who find themet universæ carni sanitas.and health to all that is flesh.

²³Omni custodia serva cor tuum,Preserve your heart with all watchfulness,quia ex ipso vita procedit.for life proceeds from this.

²³Omni custodia serva cor tuum,Preserve your heart with all watchfulness,quia ex ipso vita procedit.for life proceeds from this.

²⁴Remove a te os pravum,Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth,et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.and let detracting lips be far from you.

²⁴Remove a te os pravum,Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth,et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.and let detracting lips be far from you.

²⁵Oculi tui recta videant,Let your eyes look straight ahead,et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos.and let your eyelids precede your steps.

²⁵Oculi tui recta videant,Let your eyes look straight ahead,et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos.and let your eyelids precede your steps.

²⁶Dirige semitam pedibus tuis,Direct the path of your feet,et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.and all your ways shall be secure.

²⁶Dirige semitam pedibus tuis,Direct the path of your feet,et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.and all your ways shall be secure.

²⁷Ne declines ad dexteram neque ad sinistram;Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left;averte pedem tuum a malo:yet turn your foot away from evil.vias enim quæ a dextris sunt novit Dominus:For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right,perversæ vero sunt quæ a sinistris sunt.and truly, those that are on the left are perverse.Ipse autem rectos faciet cursus tuos,But he himself will make your courses straight.itinera autem tua in pace producet.Then your journey will advance in peace.

²⁷Ne declines ad dexteram neque ad sinistram;Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left;averte pedem tuum a malo:yet turn your foot away from evil.vias enim quæ a dextris sunt novit Dominus:For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right,perversæ vero sunt quæ a sinistris sunt.and truly, those that are on the left are perverse.Ipse autem rectos faciet cursus tuos,But he himself will make your courses straight.itinera autem tua in pace producet.Then your journey will advance in peace.