An exhortation to chastity, temperance, 8. and to works of mercy. 10. with praise of a valiant wise woman.An exhortation to chastitie, temperance, 8. and to workes of mercie. 10. with praise of a valiant wise woman.✦
The words of Lamuel the king. The vision wherewith his mother instructed him.THE wordes of Lamuel the king. The vision wherwith his mother instructed him.✦Verba Lamuelis regis. Visio qua erudivit eum mater sua.
2What, O my beloved, what, O the beloved of my womb, what, O beloved of my vows?What ô my beloued, what ô the beloued of my wombe, what ô beloued of my vowes?✦Quid, dilecte mi ? quid, dilecte uteri mei ? quid, dilecte votorum meorum ?
3Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings.Geue not thy substance to wemen, & thy riches to destroy kinges.✦Ne dederis mulieribus substantiam tuam, et divitias tuas ad delendos reges.
4Give not to kings, O Lamuel, give not wine to kings: because there is no secret where drunkenness reigneth,Geue not to kinges, ô Lamuel, geue not wine to kinges: because there is no secrete where drunknes reigneth,✦Noli regibus, o Lamuel, noli regibus dare vinum, quia nullum secretum est ubi regnat ebrietas ;
5and lest perhaps they drink, and forget judgments, and change the cause of the children of the poor.& lest perhaps they drinke, & forget iudgements, & change the cause of the children of the poore.✦et ne forte bibant, et obliviscantur judiciorum, et mutent causam filiorum pauperis.
6Give strong drink to them that be sad, and wine unto them, that are of a amaro animo: sorrowful, grieved mind:Geue strong drinke to them that be sad, and wine vnto them, that are of a pensiue minde:Date siceram mœrentibus, et vinum his qui amaro sunt animo.
7let them drink, and forget their poverty, and not remember their sorrow any more.let them drinke, and forget their pouertie, and not remember their sorow any more.Bibant, et obliviscantur egestatis suæ, et doloris sui non recordentur amplius.
8Open thy mouth to the dumb, and to the cause of all the children that pass:Open thy mouth to the dumme, & to the cause of al the children that passe:✦Aperi os tuum muto, et causis omnium filiorum qui pertranseunt.
9open thy mouth, decree that which is just, and judge the needy and poor.open thy mouth, decree that which is iust, & iudge the needie & poore.✦Aperi os tuum, decerne quod justum est, et judica inopem et pauperem.
10A valiant woman who shall find? far, and from the utmost borders is the price of her.A valiant woman who shal finde? far, and from the vtmost borders is the price of her.¶✦Mulierem fortem quis inveniet ? procul et de ultimis finibus pretium ejus.
11The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall not need spoliis: plunder, booty, gain.The hart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shal not neede spoyles.✦Confidit in ea cor viri sui, et spoliis non indigebit.
12She shall render good, and not evil, all the days of her life.She shal render good, and not euil, al the dayes of her life.✦Reddet ei bonum, et non malum, omnibus diebus vitæ suæ.
13She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.She hath sought wool and flaxe, and hath wrought by the counsel of her handes.✦Quæsivit lanam et linum, et operata est consilio manuum suarum.
14She is become as a merchant's ship, bringing her bread from far.She is become as a marchants shippe, bringing her bread from farre.✦Facta est quasi navis institoris, de longe portans panem suum.
15And she hath risen in the night, and given prey to her household, and meats to her handmaids.And she hath risen in the night, and geuen pray to her houshold, and meates to her handmaides.✦Et de nocte surrexit, deditque prædam domesticis suis, et cibaria ancillis suis.
16She hath viewed a field, and bought it: of the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.She hath vewed a filde, and bought it: of the fruite of her handes she hath planted a vineyard.✦Consideravit agrum, et emit eum ; de fructu manuum suarum plantavit vineam.
17She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm.She hath gyrded her loines with strength, and hath streingthened her arme.✦Accinxit fortitudine lumbos suos, et roboravit brachium suum.
18She hath tasted, and seen that her negotiatio: trade, business dealings is good: her lamp shall not be extinguished in the night.She hath tasted, and sene that her traficke is good: her lampe shal not be extinguished in the night.✦Gustavit, et vidit quia bona est negotiatio ejus ; non extinguetur in nocte lucerna ejus.
19She hath put her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.She hath put her hand to strong thinges, and her fingers haue taken hold of the spindle.✦Manum suam misit ad fortia, et digiti ejus apprehenderunt fusum.
20She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her palms to the poor.She hath opened her hand to the needie, and stretched out her palmes to the poore.✦Manum suam aperuit inopi, et palmas suas extendit ad pauperem.
21She shall not fear for her house in the colds of snow: for all her household are clothed with double.She shal not feare for her house in the coldes of snow: for al her houshould are clothed with duble.✦Non timebit domui suæ a frigoribus nivis ; omnes enim domestici ejus vestiti sunt duplicibus.
22Tapestry clothing she hath made to herself: silk, and purple is her garment.Tapestrie clothing she hath made to herself: silke, and purple is her garment.✦Stragulatam vestem fecit sibi ; byssus et purpura indumentum ejus.
23Her husband is noble in the gates, when he shall sit with the senators of the land.Her husband is noble in the gates, when he shal sitte with the senatours of the land.✦Nobilis in portis vir ejus, quando sederit cum senatoribus terræ.
24She made sindonem: fine linen cloth, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chananite.She made sindon, and sold it, and deliuered a girdle to the Chananeite.✦Sindonem fecit, et vendidit, et cingulum tradidit Chananæo.
25Strength and beauty is her garment, and she shall laugh in the later day.Strength and beautie is her garment, and she shal laugh in the later day.✦Fortitudo et decor indumentum ejus, et ridebit in die novissimo.
26She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is in her tongue.She hath opened her mouth to wisedom, and the law of clemencie is in her tongue.✦Os suum aperuit sapientiæ, et lex clementiæ in lingua ejus.
27She hath considered the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle.She hath considered the pathes of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle.✦Consideravit semitas domus suæ, et panem otiosa non comedit.
28Her children arose, and commended her to be most blessed: her husband, and he praised her.Her children arose, and commended her to be most blessed: her husband, and he praysed her.✦Surrexerunt filii ejus, et beatissimam prædicaverunt ; vir ejus, et laudavit eam.
29Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast passed them all.Manie daughters haue gathered together riches: thou hast passed them al.✦Multæ filiæ congregaverunt divitias ; tu supergressa es universas.
30Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth our Lord shall be praised.Grace is deceitful, and beautie is vayne: the woman that feareth our Lord shal be praysed.✦Fallax gratia, et vana est pulchritudo : mulier timens Dominum, ipsa laudabitur.
31Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.Geue ye to her of the fruite of her handes: and let her workes praise her in the gates.✦Date ei de fructu manuum suarum, et laudent eam in portis opera ejus.
Annotationsfrom the original 1609 Douay Old Testament
10A valiant woman who shall find. Upon occasion of his mother's most prudent admonition, the wiseman singularly praiseth a perfect virtuous woman. And that in an exquisite kind of style: in Tetrametrical Iambic verse, with perfect order and number of the Alphabet letters. Signifying, as S. Jerome teacheth, that as none can read, or speak words, unless they first learn to know the letters: so we cannot attain to know the greater Mysteries in holy Scriptures, except we begin with moral good life, according to that the Prophet saith: By thy commandments I have understood. And therefore wise Salomon, by instinct of the Holy Ghost, as well by the manner of style, as by the doctrine contained, concludeth his Book of Parables, with praise both of the Church in general, which hath all the virtues, and good properties here mentioned; and of every faithful soul, sincerely serving God, which either in deed, or in desire of mind, hath such part of them, as may suffice to the attaining of eternal life. For concerning the whole Church, S. Augustine in two Sermons (117. and 118. de temp.) S. Beda upon this place, and other Fathers show it evidently. Touching also particular souls, not only of holy men, but also of women, the frailer sex, holy Scriptures, and Ecclesiastical monuments yield many examples, besides the most Excellent and immaculate virgin Mother of God; as of Sara, Rebecca, Lia, Rachel, Elizabeth, Marie Magdalen, Martha, and innumerable others, most precious pearls, dear spouses of Christ, and singular ornaments of his Church.A valiant woman who shall find. Upon occasion of his mother's most prudent admonition, the wiseman singularly praiseth a perfect virtuous woman. And that in an exquisite kind of style: in Tetrametrical Iambic verse, with perfect order and number of the Alphabet letters. Signifying, as S. Jerome teacheth, that as none can read, or speak words, unless they first learn to know the letters: so we cannot attain to know the greater Mysteries in holy Scriptures, except we begin with moral good life, according to that the Prophet saith: By thy commandments I have understood. And therefore wise Salomon, by instinct of the Holy Ghost, as well by the manner of style, as by the doctrine contained, concludeth his Book of Parables, with praise both of the Church in general, which hath all the virtues, and good properties here mentioned; and of every faithful soul, sincerely serving God, which either in deed, or in desire of mind, hath such part of them, as may suffice to the attaining of eternal life. For concerning the whole Church, S. Augustine in two Sermons (117. and 118. de temp.) S. Beda upon this place, and other Fathers show it evidently. Touching also particular souls, not only of holy men, but also of women, the frailer sex, holy Scriptures, and Ecclesiastical monuments yield many examples, besides the most Excellent and immaculate virgin Mother of God; as of Sara, Rebecca, Lia, Rachel, Elizabeth, Marie Magdalen, Martha, and innumerable others, most precious pearls, dear spouses of Christ, and singular ornaments of his Church.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.