(No prolog)

 1 Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
Ne aemuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis;

 2 Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.

 3 By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
Sapientia aedificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.

 4 By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
In doctrina replebuntur cellaria, universa substantia pretiosa et pulcherrima.

 5 A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
Vir sapiens fortis est, et vir doctus robustus et validus;

 6 Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
quia cum dispositione initur bellum, et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.

 7 Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
Excelsa stulto sapientia; in porta non aperiet os suum.

 8 He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
Qui cogitat mala facere stultus vocabitur :

 9 The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.
cogitatio stulti peccatum est, et abominatio hominum detractor.

 10 If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
Si desperaveris lassus in die angustiae, imminuetur fortitudo tua.

 11 Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
Erue eos qui ducuntur ad mortem, et qui trahuntur ad interitum liberare ne cesses.

 12 If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.
Si dixeris : Vires non suppetunt; qui inspector est cordis ipse intelligit; et servatorem animae tuae nihil fallit, reddetque homini juxta opera sua.

 13 Eat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:
Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo.

 14 So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.
Sic et doctrina sapientiae animae tuae; quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.

 15 Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
Ne insidieris, et quaeras impietatem in domo justi, neque vastes requiem ejus.

 16 For a just man shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
Septies enim cadet justus, et resurget : impii autem corruent in malum.

 17 When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
Cum ceciderit inimicus tuus ne gaudeas, et in ruina ejus ne exsultet cor tuum :

 18 Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
ne forte videat Dominus, et displiceat ei, et auferat ab eo iram suam.

 19 Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec aemuleris impios;

 20 For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.

 21 My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.
Time Dominum, fili mi, et regem, et cum detractoribus non commiscearis;

 22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum, et ruinam utriusque quis novit?

 23 These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
Haec quoque sapientibus. Cognoscere personam in judicio non est bonum.

 24 They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
Qui dicunt impio : Justus es, maledicent eis populi, et detestabuntur eos tribus.

 25 They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
Qui arguunt eum laudabuntur, et super ipsos veniet benedictio.

 26 He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
Labia deosculabitur qui recta verba respondet.

 27 Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
Praepara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum, ut postea aedifices domum tuam.

 28 Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.
Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum, nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.

 29 Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.
Ne dicas : Quomodo fecit mihi, sic faciam ei; reddam unicuique secundum opus suum.

 30 I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
Per agrum hominis pigri transivi, et per vineam viri stulti :

 31 And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
et ecce totum repleverant urticae, et operuerant superficiem ejus spinae, et maceria lapidum destructa erat.

 32 Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
Quod cum vidissem, posui in corde meo, et exemplo didici disciplinam.

 33 Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:
Parum, inquam, dormies; modicum dormitabis, pauxillum manus conseres ut quiescas :

 34 And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.