Sapiens autem non debet omni voci vulgi cedere.

It is originally an adjective/participle meaning wise, but here it is being used substantively, so it means a wise person or the wise man/person.

Grammatically, sapiens is nominative singular, so it is the subject of debet. The same form can be masculine or feminine.

Not necessarily. Sapiens can refer to a wise man or a wise woman, depending on context.

Latin often uses a masculine-looking English translation for convenience, but the Latin form itself here is not limited to a male referent. It is best understood as a wise person unless the wider context makes the gender clear.

Because autem is a postpositive word. That means it normally comes after the first word or phrase of its clause, not before it.

So Latin prefers:

Sapiens autem ...

rather than putting autem first. It usually means however, but, or moreover, depending on context.

Because debet is the main finite verb and cedere is a complementary infinitive.

• debet = he/she ought, must, should
• cedere = to yield, to give way

Together they mean ought to yield or should yield. This is a very common Latin pattern: a conjugated verb plus an infinitive.

Because non normally negates the verb phrase, and placing it before the finite verb is very common Latin usage.

So:

non debet cedere = ought not to yield / should not yield

Latin word order is somewhat flexible, but this placement is straightforward and idiomatic.

Because cedere commonly takes the dative of the person or thing to which someone yields.

So voci means to the voice. In English we usually say yield to something, using a preposition, but Latin often expresses that idea with the dative case alone.

Because omni modifies voci, so it has to agree with it in case, number, and gender.

• voci = dative singular feminine
• omni = dative singular feminine

So omni voci means to every voice or to any voice.

Because it depends on voci and means of the crowd or of the common people.

So:

• vox = voice
• vox vulgi = the voice of the crowd

This is a normal genitive of possession/association type of construction. Vulgi is the genitive singular of vulgus.

Vulgus means the crowd, the common people, the masses, or sometimes the mob, depending on tone and context.

It is a collective noun, so although it is grammatically singular, it refers to a group of people. In this sentence, it suggests popular opinion rather than thoughtful judgment.

Probably not just a literal spoken voice. Here vox is more likely being used figuratively for opinion, outcry, public talk, or what the crowd says.

That kind of figurative use is very common in both Latin and English. So voci vulgi is something like the voice/opinion of the crowd.

Latin has no articles like English the or a/an.

So a word like sapiens can mean:

• a wise person
• the wise person
• sometimes simply wise people/persons in the right context

English has to supply the article from context, but Latin does not mark it explicitly.

A great deal of it comes from the endings.

For example:

• sapiens is nominative, so it is the subject
• voci is dative, so it goes with cedere
• vulgi is genitive, so it depends on voci
• debet is the finite verb

Because the endings show the grammatical relationships, Latin can arrange the words more freely than English. This particular order gives emphasis to sapiens first, puts the postpositive autem in its normal place, and keeps omni voci vulgi closely connected before cedere.