DENISON

[column A]

primi et puríssimi fructus ejus. Pretiósior est cunctis ópibus, et ómnia quæ desiderántur huic non valent comparári. Longitúdo diérum in déxtera ejus, et in sinístra illíus divítiæ et glória. Viæ ejus viæ pulchræ, et omnes sémitæ illíus pacíficæ. Lignum vitæ est his qui apprehénderint eam, et qui tenúerit eam beátus. Dóminus sapiéntia fundávit terram; stabilívit cælos prudéntia. Sapiéntia illíus erupérunt abýssi, et nubes rore concréscunt. Fili mi, ne éffluant hæc ab óculis tuis. Custódi legem atque consílium, et erit vita ánimæ tuæ, et grátia fáucibus tuis. Tunc ambulábis fiduciáliter in via tua, et pes tuus non impínget. Si dormíeris, non timébis; quiésces, et suávis erit somnus tuus. Ne páveas repentíno terróre, et irruéntes tibi poténtias impiórum. Dóminus enim erit in látere tuo, et custódiet pedem tuum, ne capiáris. Noli prohibére benefácere eum qui potest: si vales, et ipse bénefac. Ne dicas amíco tuo: Vade, et revertére: cras dabo tibi: cum statim possis dare. Ne moliáris amíco tuo malum, cum ille in te hábeat fidúciam. Ne conténdas advérsus hóminem frustra, cum ipse tibi nihil mali fécerit. Ne æmúleris hóminem injústum, nec imíteris vias ejus: quia abominátio Dómini est omnis illúsor, et cum simplícibus sermocinátio ejus. Egéstas a Dómino in domo ímpii; habitácula autem justórum benedicéntur. Ipse delúdet illusóres, et mansuétis dabit grátiam. Glóriam sapiéntes possidébunt; stultórum exaltátio ignomínia. IIII. Audíte, fílii, disciplínam patris, et atténdite ut sciátis prudéntiam. Donum bonum tríbuam vobis: legem meam ne derelinquátis. Nam et ego fílius fui patris mei, tenéllus et unigénitus coram matre mea. Et docébat me, atque dicébat: Suscípiat verba mea cor tuum; custódi præcépta mea, et vives. Pósside sapiéntiam, pósside prudéntiam: ne obliviscáris, neque declínes a verbis oris mei. Ne dimíttas eam, et custódiet te: dílige eam, et conservábit te. Princípium sapiéntiæ: pósside sapiéntiam, et in omni possessióne tua acquíre prudéntiam. Árripe illam, et exaltábit te; glorificáberis ab ea cum eam fúeris amplexátus. Da-

[column B]

-bit cápiti tuo augménta gratiárum, et coróna ínclyta próteget te. Audi, fili mi, et súscipe verba mea, ut multiplicéntur tibi anni vitæ. Viam sapiéntiæ monstrábo tibi; ducam te per sémitas æquitátis: quas cum ingréssus fúeris, non arctabúntur gressus tui, et currens non habébis offendículum. Tene disciplínam, ne dimíttas eam; custódi illam, quia ipsa est vita tua. Ne delectéris in sémitis impiórum, nec tibi pláceat malórum via. Fuge ab ea, nec tránseas per illam; declína, et désere eam. Non enim dórmiunt nisi malefécerint, et rápitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantáverint. Cómedunt panem impietátis, et vinum iniquitátis bibunt. Justórum autem sémita quasi lux splendens procédit, et crescit usque ad perféctam diem. Via impiórum tenebrósa; nésciunt ubi córruant. Fili mi, auscúlta sermónes meos, et ad elóquia mea inclína aurem tuam. Ne recédant ab óculis tuis: custódi ea in médio cordis tui: vita enim sunt inveniéntibus ea, et univérsæ carni sánitas. Omni custódia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procédit. Rémove a te os pravum, et detrahéntia lábia sint procul a te. Óculi tui recta vídeant, et pálpebræ tuæ præcédant gressus tuos. Dírige sémitam pédibus tuis, et omnes viæ tuæ stabiliéntur. Ne declínes ad déxteram neque ad sinístram; avérte pedem tuum a malo: vias enim quæ a dextris sunt novit Dóminus: pervérsæ vero sunt quæ a sinístris sunt. Ipse autem rectos fáciet cursus tuos, itínera autem tua in pace prodúcet. V. Fili mi, atténde ad sapiéntiam meam, et prudéntiæ meæ inclína aurem tuam: ut custódias cogitatiónes, et disciplínam lábia tua consérvent. Ne atténdas falláciæ mulíeris; favus enim distíllans lábia meretrícis, et nitídius óleo guttur ejus: novíssima autem illíus amára quasi absínthium, et acúta quasi gládius biceps. Pedes ejus descéndunt in mortem, et ad ínferos gressus illíus pénetrant. Per sémitam vitæ non ámbulant; vagi sunt gressus ejus et investigábiles. Nunc ergo fili mi, audi me, et ne recédas a verbis oris mei. Longe fac ab ea viam tuam, et ne appropínques fóribus domus ejus. Ne des aliénis honórem tuum, et annos tuos crú-

[Proverbs 3:14-5:9]

...than the chiefest and purest gold: 15 She is more precious than all riches: and all the things that are desired, are not to be compared with her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory. 17 Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable. 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed. 19 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence. 20 By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew. 21 My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel: 22 And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth. 23 Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble: 24 If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet. 25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee. 26 For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken. 27 Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also. 28 Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and to morrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present. 29 Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee. 30 Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil. 31 Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways: 32 For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple. 33 Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed. 34 He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace. 35 The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.

1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend that you may know prudence. 2 I will give you a good gift, forsake not my law. 3 For I also was my father's son, tender and as an only son in the sight of my mother: 4 And he taught me, and said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live. 5 Get wisdom, get prudence: forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee: love her, and she shall preserve thee. 7 The beginning of wisdom, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase prudence. 8 Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her. 9 She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown. 10 Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee. 11 I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity: 12 Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock. 13 Take hold on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life. 14 Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee. 15 Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake it. 16 For they sleep not except they have done evil: and their sleep is taken away unless they have made some to fall. 17 They eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of iniquity. 18 But the path of the just, as a shining light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall. 20 My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thy eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart: 22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all flesh. 23 With all watchfulness keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it. 24 Remove from thee a froward mouth, and let detracting lips be far from thee. 25 Let thy eyes look straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy steps. 26 Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established. 27 Decline not to the right hand, nor to the left: turn away thy foot from evil. For the Lord knoweth the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand. But he will make thy courses straight, he will bring forward thy ways in peace.

1 My son, attend to my wisdom, and incline thy ear to my prudence. 2 That thou mayst keep thoughts, and thy lips may preserve instruction. Mind not the deceit of a woman. 3 For the lips of a harlot are like a honeycomb dropping, and her throat is smoother than oil. 4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down into death, and her steps go in as far as hell. 6 They walk not by the path of life, her steps are wandering, and unaccountable. 7 Now therefore, my son, hear me, and depart not from the words of my mouth. 8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the doors of her house. 9 Give not thy honour to strangers, and thy years to the cruel.

[column A]

ne forte impléntur extránei víribus tuis, et labóres tui sint in domo aliéna, et gemas in novíssimis, quando consúmpseris carnes tuas et corpus tuum, et dicas: Cur detestátus sum disciplínam, et increpatiónibus non acquiévit cor meum, nec audívi vocem docéntium me, et magístris non inclinávi aurem meam? pene fui in omni malo, in médio ecclésiæ et synagógæ. Bibe aquam de cistérna tua, et fluénta pútei tui; derivéntur fontes tui foras, et in platéis aquas tuas dívide. Habéto eas solus, nec sint aliéni partícipes tui. Sit vena tua benedícta, et lætáre cum mulíere adolescéntiæ tuæ. Cerva caríssima, et gratíssimus hínnulus: úbera ejus inébrient te in omni témpore; in amóre ejus delectáre júgiter. Quare sedúceris, fili mi, ab aliéna, et fovéris in sinu altérius? Réspicit Dóminus vias hóminis, et omnes gressus ejus consíderat. Iniquitátes suas cápiunt ímpium, et fúnibus peccatórum suórum constríngitur. Ipse moriétur, quia non hábuit disciplínam, et in multitúdine stultítiæ suæ decipiétur. VI. Fili mi, si spopónderis pro amíco tuo, defixísti apud extráneum manum tuam: illaqueátus es verbis oris tui, et captus própriis sermónibus. Fac ergo quod dico, fili mi, et temetípsum líbera, quia incidísti in manum próximi tui. Discúrre, festína, súscita amícum tuum. Ne déderis somnum óculis tuis, nec dormítent pálpebræ tuæ. Erúere quasi dámula de manu, et quasi avis de manu áucupis. Vade ad fórmicam, o piger, et consídera vias ejus, et disce sapiéntiam. Quæ cum non hábeat ducem, nec præceptórem, nec príncipem, parat in æstáte cibum sibi, et cóngregat in messe quod cómedat. Úsquequo, piger, dórmies? quando consúrges e somno tuo? Páululum dórmies, páululum dormitábis, páululum cónseres manus ut dórmias; et véniet tibi quasi viátor egéstas, et paupéries quasi vir armátus. Si vero ímpiger fúeris, véniet ut fons messis tua, et egéstas longe fúgiet a te. Homo apostáta, vir inútilis, gráditur ore pervérso; ánnuit óculis, terit pede, dígito lóquitur, pravo corde machinátur malum, et omni témpore júrgia séminat.

[column B]

Huic extémplo véniet perdítio sua, et súbito conterétur, nec habébit ultra medicínam. Sex sunt quæ odit Dóminus, et séptimum detestátur ánima ejus: óculos sublímes, linguam mendácem, manus effundéntes innóxium sánguinem, cor máchinans cogitatiónes péssimas, pedes velóces ad curréndum in malum, proferéntem mendácia testem fallácem, et eum qui séminat inter fratres discórdias. Consérva, fili mi, præcépta patris tui, et ne dimíttas legem matris tuæ. Liga ea in corde tuo júgiter, et circúmda gútturi tuo. Cum ambuláveris, gradiántur tecum; cum dormíeris, custódiant te: et evígilans lóquere cum eis. Quia mandátum lucérna est, et lex lux, et via vitæ increpátio disciplínæ: ut custódiant te a mulíere mala, et a blanda lingua extráneæ. Non concupíscat pulchritúdinem ejus cor tuum, nec capiáris nútibus illíus: prétium enim scorti vix est uníus panis, múlier autem viri pretiósam ánimam capit. Numquid potest homo abscóndere ignem in sinu suo, ut vestiménta illíus non árdeant? aut ambuláre super prunas, ut non comburántur plantæ ejus? sic qui ingréditur ad mulíerem próximi sui, non erit mundus cum tetígerit eam. Non grandis est culpa cum quis furátus fúerit: furátur enim ut esuriéntem ímpleat ánimam; deprehénsus quoque reddet séptuplum, et omnem substántiam domus suæ tradet. Qui autem adúlter est, propter cordis inópiam perdet ánimam suam; turpitúdinem et ignomíniam cóngregat sibi, et oppróbrium illíus non delébitur: quia zelus et furor viri non parcet in die vindíctæ, nec acquiéscet cujúsquam précibus, nec suscípiet pro redemptióne dona plúrima. VII. Fili mi, custódi sermónes meos, et præcépta mea recónde tibi. Fili, serva mandáta mea, et vives; et legem meam quasi pupíllam óculi tui: liga eam in dígitis tuis, scribe illam in tábulis cordis tui. Dic sapiéntiæ: Soror mea es, et prudéntiam voca amícam tuam: ut custódiant te a mulíere extránea, et ab aliéna quæ verba sua dúlcia facit. De fenéstra enim domus meæ per cancéllos prospéxi, et vídeo párvulos; consídero vecórdem júvenem, qui transit per platéam juxta ángulum et prope viam domus illíus gráditur: in obscúro, advesperascénte die

[Proverbs 5:10-7:9]

10 Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labours be in another man's house, 11 And thou mourn it the last, when thou shalt have spent thy flesh and thy body, and say: 12 Why have I hated instruction, and my heart consented not to reproof, 13 And have not heard the voice of them that taught me, and have not inclined my ear to masters? 14 I have almost been in all evil, in the midst of the church and of the congregation. 15 Drink water out of thy own cistern, and the streams of thy own well: 16 Let thy fountains be conveyed abroad, and in the streets divide thy waters. 17 Keep them to thyself alone, neither let strangers be partakers with thee. 18 Let thy vein be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of thy youth: 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. 20 Why art thou seduced, my son, by a strange woman, and art cherished in the bosom of another? 21 The Lord beholdeth the ways of man, and considereth all his steps. 22 His own iniquities catch the wicked, and he is fast bound with the ropes of his own sins. 23 He shall die, because he hath not received instruction, and in the multitude of his folly he shall be deceived.

1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger. 2 Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words. 3 Do therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend: 4 Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber. 5 Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler. 6 Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom: 7 Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain, 8 Provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou rise out of thy sleep? 10 Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep: 11 And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee. 12 A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth, 13 He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger. 14 With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord. 15 To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy. 16 Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief, 19 A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren. 20 My son, keep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother. 21 Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck. 22 When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee; and when thou awakest, talk with them. 23 Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: 24 That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger. 25 Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks: 26 For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man. 27 Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn? 28 Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt? 29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her. 30 The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul: 31 And if he be taken he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house. 32 But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul: 33 He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out: 34 Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge, 35 Nor will he yield to any man's prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.

1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son, 2 Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye: 3 Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart. 4 Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend, 5 That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words. 6 For I look out of the window of my house through the lattice, 7 And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man, 8 Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house. 9 In the dark, when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night, 10 And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot's attire prepared to deceive souls...