7:1 Fili mi, custodi sermones meos, et præcepta mea reconde tibi. Fili,

7:1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,

7:2 serva mandata mea, et vives ; et legem meam quasi pupillam oculi tui :

7:2 Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:

7:3 liga eam in digitis tuis, scribe illam in tabulis cordis tui.

7:3 Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.

7:4 Dic sapientiæ : Soror mea es, et prudentiam voca amicam tuam :

7:4 Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,

7:5 ut custodiant te a muliere extranea, et ab aliena quæ verba sua dulcia facit.

7:5 That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.

7:6 De fenestra enim domus meæ per cancellos prospexi,

7:6 For I looked out of the window of my house through the lattice,

7:7 et video parvulos ; considero vecordem juvenem,

7:7 And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,

7:8 qui transit per plateam juxta angulum et prope viam domus illius graditur :

7:8 Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house,

7:9 in obscuro, advesperascente die, in noctis tenebris et caligine.

7:9 In the dark when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night.

7:10 Et ecce occurrit illi mulier ornatu meretricio, præparata ad capiendas animas : garrula et vaga,

7:10 And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot's attire, prepared to deceive souls: talkative and wandering,

7:11 quietis impatiens, nec valens in domo consistere pedibus suis ;

7:11 Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,

7:12 nunc foris, nunc in plateis, nunc juxta angulos insidians.

7:12 Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.

7:13 Apprehensumque deosculatur juvenem, et procaci vultu blanditur, dicens :

7:13 And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:

7:14 Victimas pro salute vovi ; hodie reddidi vota mea :

7:14 I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.

7:15 idcirco egressa sum in occursum tuum, desiderans te videre, et reperi.

7:15 Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.

7:16 Intexui funibus lectulum meum ; stravi tapetibus pictis ex Ægypto :

7:16 I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt.

7:17 aspersi cubile meum myrrha, et aloë, et cinnamomo.

7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

7:18 Veni, inebriemur uberibus, et fruamur cupitis amplexibus donec illucescat dies.

7:18 Come, let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.

7:19 Non est enim vir in domo sua : abiit via longissima :

7:19 For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey.

7:20 sacculum pecuniæ secum tulit ; in die plenæ lunæ reversurus est in domum suam.

7:20 He took with him a bag of money: he will return home the day of the full moon.

7:21 Irretivit eum multis sermonibus, et blanditiis labiorum protraxit illum.

7:21 She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.

7:22 Statim eam sequitur quasi bos ductus ad victimam, et quasi agnus lasciviens, et ignorans quod ad vincula stultus trahatur :

7:22 Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and as a lamb playing the wanton, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds,

7:23 donec transfigat sagitta jecur ejus, velut si avis festinet ad laqueum, et nescit quod de periculo animæ illius agitur.

7:23 Till the arrow pierce his liver: as if a bird should make haste to the snare, and knoweth not that his life is in danger.

7:24 Nunc ergo, fili mi, audi me, et attende verbis oris mei.

7:24 Now, therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.

7:25 Ne abstrahatur in viis illius mens tua, neque decipiaris semitis ejus ;

7:25 Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.

7:26 multos enim vulneratos dejecit, et fortissimi quique interfecti sunt ab ea.

7:26 For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.

7:27 Viæ inferi domus ejus, penetrantes in interiora mortis.

7:27 Her house is the way to hell, reaching even to the inner chambers of death.