Proverbs 30
The wise man thinketh humbly of himself. His prayer and sentiments upon certain virtues and vices.
Verba Congregantis, filii Vomentis. Visio quam locutus est vir cum quo est Deus, et qui Deo secum morante confortatus, ait:
The words of Gatherer the son of Vomiter. The vision which the man spoke, with whom God is, and who being strengthened by God, abiding with him, said:
Stultissimus sum virorum, et sapientia hominum non est mecum.
I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
Non didici sapientiam, et non novi scientiam sanctorum.
I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.
Quis ascendit in cælum, atque descendit? quis continuit spiritum in manibus suis? quis colligavit aquas quasi in vestimento? quis suscitavit omnes terminos terræ? quod nomen est ejus, et quod nomen filii ejus, si nosti?
Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? who hath held the wind in his hands? who hath bound up the waters together as in a garment? who hath raised up all the borders of the earth? what is his name, and what is the name of his son, if thou knowest?
Omnis sermo Dei ignitus: clypeus est sperantibus in se.
Every word of God is fire tried: he is a buckler to them that hope in him.
Ne addas quidquam verbis illius, et arguaris, inveniarisque mendax.
Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved and found a liar:
Duo rogavi te: ne deneges mihi antequam moriar:
Two things I have asked of thee, deny them not to me before I die.
vanitatem et verba mendacia longe fac a me; mendicitatem et divitias ne dederis mihi: tribue tantum victui meo necessaria,
Remove far from me vanity, and lying words. Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life:
ne forte satiatus illiciar ad negandum, et dicam: Quis est Dominus? aut egestate compulsus, furer, et perjurem nomen Dei mei.
Lest perhaps being filled, I should be tempted to deny, and say: Who is the Lord? or being compelled by poverty, I should steal, and forswear the name of my God.
Ne accuses servum ad dominum suum, ne forte maledicat tibi, et corruas.
Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou fall.
Generatio quæ patri suo maledicit, et quæ matri suæ non benedicit;
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
generatio quæ sibi munda videtur, et tamen non est lota a sordibus suis;
A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.
generatio cujus excelsi sunt oculi, et palpebræ ejus in alta surrectæ;
A generation, whose eyes are lofty, and their eyelids lifted up on high.
generatio quæ pro dentibus gladios habet, et commandit molaribus suis, ut comedat inopes de terra, et pauperes ex hominibus.
A generation that for teeth hath swords, and grindeth with their jaw teeth, to devour the needy from off the earth, and the poor from among men.
Sanguisugæ duæ sunt filiæ, dicentes: Affer, affer. Tria sunt insaturabilia, et quartum quod numquam dicit: Sufficit.
The horseleech hath two daughters that say: Bring, bring. There are three things that never are satisfied, and the fourth never saith: It is enough.
Infernus, et os vulvæ, et terra quæ non satiatur aqua: ignis vero numquam dicit: Sufficit.
Hell and the mouth of the womb, and the earth which is not satisfied with water: and the fire never saith: It is enough.
Oculum qui subsannat patrem, et qui despicit partum matris suæ, effodiant eum corvi de torrentibus, et comedant eum filii aquilæ!
The eye that mocketh at his father, and that despiseth the labour of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the young eagles eat it.
Tria sunt difficilia mihi, et quartum penitus ignoro:
Three things are hard to me, and the fourth I am utterly ignorant of.
viam aquilæ in cælo, viam colubri super petram, viam navis in medio mari, et viam viri in adolescentia.
The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man in youth.
Talis est et via mulieris adulteræ, quæ comedit, et tergens os suum dicit: Non sum operata malum.
Such also is the way of an adulterous woman, who eateth and wipeth her mouth, and saith: I have done no evil.
Per tria movetur terra, et quartum non potest sustinere:
By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear.
per servum, cum regnaverit; per stultum, cum saturatus fuerit cibo;
By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when be is filled with meat:
per odiosam mulierem, cum in matrimonio fuerit assumpta; et per ancillam, cum fuerit hæres dominæ suæ.
By an odious woman when she is married: and by a bondwoman when she is heir to her mistress.
Quatuor sunt minima terræ, et ipsa sunt sapientiora sapientibus:
There are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise.
formicæ, populus infirmus, qui præparat in messe cibum sibi;
The ants, a feeble people, which provide themselves food in the harvest:
lepusculus, plebs invalida, qui collocat in petra cubile suum;
The rabbit, a weak people, which maketh its bed in the rock:
regem locusta non habet, et egreditur universa per turmas suas;
The locust hath no king, yet they all go out by their bands:
stellio manibus nititur, et moratur in ædibus regis.
The stellio supporteth itself on hands, and dwelleth in kings' houses.
Tria sunt quæ bene gradiuntur, et quartum quod incedit feliciter:
There are three things, which go well, and the fourth that walketh happily:
leo, fortissimus bestiarum, ad nullius pavebit occursum;
A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:
gallus succinctus lumbos; et aries; nec est rex, qui resistat ei.
A cock girded about the loins: and a ram: and a king, whom none can resist.
Est qui stultus apparuit postquam elevatus est in sublime; si enim intellexisset, ori suo imposuisset manum.
There is that hath appeared a fool after he was lifted up on high: for if he had understood, he would have laid his hand upon his mouth.
Qui autem fortiter premit ubera ad eliciendum lac exprimit butyrum; et qui vehementer emungit elicit sanguinem; et qui provocat iras producit discordias.
And he that strongly squeezeth the paps to bring out milk, straineth out butter: and he that violently bloweth his nose, bringeth out blood: and he that provoketh wrath, bringeth forth strife.