An exhortation to fly unlawful lust, and the occasions of it.

 1 My son, attend to my wisdom, and incline thy ear to my prudence.
Fili mi, attende ad sapientiam meam, et prudentiae meae inclina aurem tuam :

 2 That thou mayst keep thoughts, and thy lips may preserve instruction. Mind not the deceit of a woman.
ut custodias cogitationes, et disciplinam labia tua conservent. Ne attendas fallaciae mulieris;

 3 For the lips of a harlot are like a honeycomb dropping, and her throat is smoother than oil.
favus enim distillans labia meretricis, et nitidius oleo guttur ejus :

 4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword.
novissima autem illius amara quasi absinthium, et acuta quasi gladius biceps.

 5 Her feet go down into death, and her steps go in as far as hell.
Pedes ejus descendunt in mortem, et ad inferos gressus illius penetrant.

 6 They walk not by the path of life, her steps are wandering, and unaccountable.
Per semitam vitae non ambulant; vagi sunt gressus ejus et investigabiles.

 7 Now therefore, my son, hear me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
Nunc ergo, fili mi, audi, et ne recedas a verbis oris mei.

 8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the doors of her house.
Longe fac ab ea viam tuam, et ne appropinques foribus domus ejus.

 9 Give not thy honour to strangers, and thy years to the cruel.
Ne des alienis honorem tuum, et annos tuos crudeli :

 10 Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labours be in another man's house,
ne forte implentur extranei viribus tuis, et labores tui sint in domo aliena,

 11 And thou mourn it the last, when thou shalt have spent thy flesh and thy body, and say:
et gemas in novissimis, quando consumseris carnes tuas et corpus tuum, et dicas :

 12 Why have I hated instruction, and my heart consented not to reproof,
Cur detestatus sum disciplinam, et increpationibus non acquievit cor meum,

 13 And have not heard the voice of them that taught me, and have not inclined my ear to masters?
nec audivi vocem docentium me, et magistris non inclinavi aurem meam?

 14 I have almost been in all evil, in the midst of the church and of the congregation.
pene fui in omni malo, in medio ecclesiae et synagogae.

 15 Drink water out of thy own cistern, and the streams of thy own well:
Bibe aquam de cisterna tua, et fluenta putei tui;

 16 Let thy fountains be conveyed abroad, and in the streets divide thy waters.
deriventur fontes tui foras, et in plateis aquas tuas divide.

 17 Keep them to thyself alone, neither let strangers be partakers with thee.
Habeto eas solus, nec sint alieni participes tui.

 18 Let thy vein be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of thy youth:
Sit vena tua benedicta, et laetare cum muliere adolescentiae tuae.

 19 Let her be thy dearest hind, and most agreeable fawn: let her breasts inebriate thee at all times; be thou delighted continually with her love.
Cerva carissima, et gratissimus hinnulus : ubera ejus inebrient te in omni tempore, in amore ejus delectare jugiter.

 20 Why art thou seduced, my son, by a strange woman, and art cherished in the bosom of another?
Quare seduceris, fili mi, ab aliena, et foveris in sinu alterius?

 21 The Lord beholdeth the ways of man, and considereth all his steps.
Respicit Dominus vias hominis, et omnes gressus ejus considerat.

 22 His own iniquities catch the wicked, and he is fast bound with the ropes of his own sins.
Iniquitates suas capiunt impium, et funibus peccatorum suorum constringitur.

 23 He shall die, because he hath not received instruction, and in the multitude of his folly he shall be deceived.
Ipse morietur, quia non habuit disciplinam, et in multitudine stultitiae suae decipietur.