Proverbiorum 4
1 Audite filii disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.
2 Donum bonum tribuam vobis, legem meam ne derelinquatis.
I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.
3 Nam et ego filius fui patris mei, tenellus, et unigenitus coram matre mea:
When I was a son of my father, the tender and only child of my mother,
4 et docebat me, atque dicebat: Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum, custodi praecepta mea, et vives.
he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and live.
5 Posside sapientiam, posside prudentiam: ne obliviscaris, neque declines a verbis oris mei.
Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;
6 Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te: dilige eam, et conservabit te.
do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.
7 Principium sapientiae, posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam:
Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.
8 arripe illam, et exaltabit te: glorificaberis ab ea, cum eam fueris amplexatus.
Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you; she will honor you when you embrace her.
9 dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.
She will put a wreath of honor on your head; she will give you a beautiful crown.”
10 Audi fili mi, et suscipe verba mea, ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitae.
Listen, my son, and pay attention to my words, and you will have many years in your life.
11 Viam sapientiae monstrabo tibi, ducam te per semitas aequitatis:
I direct you in the way of wisdom; I lead you down straight paths.
12 quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum.
When you walk, no one will stand in your way and if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Tene disciplinam, ne dimittas eam: custodi illam, quia ipsa est via tua.
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it, for it is your life.
14 Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum, nec tibi placeat malorum via.
Do not follow the path of the wicked and do not go along the way of those who do evil.
15 Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam: declina, et desere eam.
Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and go another way.
16 non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint: et non capitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.
For they cannot sleep until they do evil and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone to stumble.
17 comedunt panem impietatis, et vinum iniquitatis bibunt.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 Iustorum autem semita quasi lux splendens, procedit et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.
But the path of righteous people is like the first light that grows brighter; it shines more and more until the fullness of the day comes.
19 Via impiorum tenebrosa: nesciunt ubi corruant.
The way of the wicked is like darkness— they do not know what it is they stumble over.
20 Fili mi, ausculta sermones meos, et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 ne recedant ab oculis tuis, custodi ea in medio cordis tui:
Do not let them turn away from your eyes; keep them in your heart.
22 vita enim sunt invenientibus ea, et universae carni sanitas.
For my words are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.
23 Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procedit.
Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Remove a te os pravum, et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.
Put crooked speech away from you and put corrupt talk far from you.
25 Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebrae tuae praecedant gressus tuos.
Let your eyes look straight ahead and fix your gaze straight before you.
26 Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viae tuae stabilientur.
Make a level path for your foot; then all your ways will be secure.
27 Ne declines ad dexteram, neque ad sinistram: averte pedem tuum a malo. vias enim, quae a dextris sunt, novit Dominus: perversae vero sunt quae a sinistris sunt. Ipse autem rectos faciet cursus tuos, itinera autem tua in pace producet.
Do not turn aside to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
