The love of wisdom is the best preservative from being led astray by temptation.

 1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,
Fili mi, custodi sermones meos, et praecepta mea reconde tibi.

 2 Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:
Fili, serva mandata mea, et vives; et legem meam quasi pupillam oculi tui :

 3 Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.
liga eam in digitis tuis, scribe illam in tabulis cordis tui.

 4 Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,
Dic sapientiae : Soror mea es, et prudentiam voca amicam tuam :

 5 That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.
ut custodiant te a muliere extranea, et ab aliena quae verba sua dulcis facit.

 6 For I look out of the window of my house through the lattice,
De fenestra enim domus meae per cancellos prospexi,

 7 And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,
et video parvulos; considero vecordem juvenem,

 8 Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house.
qui transit per plateam juxta angulum et prope viam domus illius graditur :

 9 In the dark, when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night,
in obscuro, advesperascente die, in noctis tenebris et caligine.

 10 And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot's attire prepared to deceive souls; talkative and wandering,
Et ecce occurrit illi mulier ornatu meretricio, praeparata ad capiendas animas : garrula et vaga,

 11 Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,
quietis impatiens, nec valens in domo consistere pedibus suis;

 12 Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.
nunc foris, nunc in plateis, nunc juxta angulos insidians.

 13 And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:
Apprehensumque deosculatur juvenem, et procaci vultu blanditur, dicens :

 14 I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.
Victimas pro salute vovi, hodie reddidi vota mea;

 15 Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.
idcirco egressa sum in occursum tuum, desiderans te videre, et reperi.

 16 I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt.
Intexui funibus lectulum meum, stravi tapetibus pietis ex Aegypto;

 17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
aspersi cubile meum myrrha, et aloe, et cinnamomo.

 18 Come, let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.
Veni, inebriemur uberibus, et fruamur cupitis amplexibus donec illucescat dies.

 19 For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey.
Non est enim vir in domo sua : abiit via longissima;

 20 He took with him a bag of money: he will return home the day of the full moon.
sacculum pecuniae secum tulit; in die plenae lunae reversurus est in domum suam.

 21 She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.
Irretivit eum multis sermonibus, et blanditiis labiorum protraxit illum.

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

 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.
donec transfigat sagitta jecur ejus; velut si avis festinet ad laqueum, et nescit quod de periculo animae illius agitur.

 24 Now therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Nunc ergo, fili mi, audi me, et attende verbis oris mei.

 25 Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.
Ne abstrahatur in viis illius mens tua, neque decipiaris semitis ejus;

 26 For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.
multos enim vulneratos dejecit, et fortissimi quique interfecti sunt ab ea.

 27 Her house is the way to hell, reaching even to the inner chambers of death.
Viae inferi domus ejus, penetrantes in interiora mortis.