箴言 4

1 眾子啊，要聽父親的教訓， 留心得知聰明。

Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

2 因我所給你們的是好教訓； 不可離棄我的法則。

for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

3 我在父親面前為孝子， 在母親眼中為獨一的嬌兒。

For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

4 父親教訓我說：你心要存記我的言語， 遵守我的命令，便得存活。

He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

5 要得智慧，要得聰明，不可忘記， 也不可偏離我口中的言語。

Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.

6 不可離棄智慧，智慧就護衛你； 要愛她，她就保守你。

Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

7 智慧為首； 所以，要得智慧。 在你一切所得之內必得聰明。

Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

8 高舉智慧，她就使你高升； 懷抱智慧，她就使你尊榮。

Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.

9 她必將華冠加在你頭上， 把榮冕交給你。

She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”

10 我兒，你要聽受我的言語， 就必延年益壽。

Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.

11 我已指教你走智慧的道， 引導你行正直的路。

I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.

12 你行走，腳步必不致狹窄； 你奔跑，也不致跌倒。

When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.

13 要持定訓誨，不可放鬆； 必當謹守，因為它是你的生命。

Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.

14 不可行惡人的路； 不要走壞人的道。

Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.

15 要躲避，不可經過； 要轉身而去。

Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

16 這等人若不行惡，不得睡覺； 不使人跌倒，睡臥不安；

For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.

17 因為他們以奸惡吃餅， 以強暴喝酒。

For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

18 但義人的路好像黎明的光， 越照越明，直到日午。

But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.

19 惡人的道好像幽暗， 自己不知因甚麼跌倒。

The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.

20 我兒，要留心聽我的言詞， 側耳聽我的話語，

My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

21 都不可離你的眼目， 要存記在你心中。

Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.

22 因為得着它的，就得了生命， 又得了醫全體的良藥。

For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.

23 你要保守你心，勝過保守一切， 因為一生的果效是由心發出。

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.

24 你要除掉邪僻的口， 棄絕乖謬的嘴。

Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.

25 你的眼目要向前正看； 你的眼睛當向前直觀。

Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.

26 要修平你腳下的路， 堅定你一切的道。

Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.

27 不可偏向左右； 要使你的腳離開邪惡。

Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.