Proverbs 4
1 My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
Audite filii disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
2 What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
Donum bonum tribuam vobis, legem meam ne derelinquatis.
3 When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
Nam et ego filius fui patris mei, tenellus, et unigenitus coram matre mea:
4 my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
et docebat me, atque dicebat: Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum, custodi præcepta mea, et vives.
5 Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
Posside sapientiam, posside prudentiam: ne obliviscaris, neque declines a verbis oris mei.
6 Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected [from all evil/danger]. If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.
Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te: dilige eam, et conservabit te.
7 The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.
Principium sapientiæ, posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam.
8 If you consider being wise to be very valuable, [people] will think very highly of you. If you cling to wisdom [like you would cling to a woman you love], [many people] will honor you.
Arripe illam, et exaltabit te: glorificaberis ab ea, cum eam fueris amplexatus.
9 If you become wise, that will for you be [like] a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head; it will be [like] a king’s glorious crown.” [That is what my father told me].
Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.
10 [So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
Audi fili mi, et suscipe verba mea, ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitæ.
11 I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
Viam sapientiæ monstrabo tibi, ducam te per semitas æquitatis:
12 If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum.
13 Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do, and do not let them go. Guard them, because they [will be the source of a good] life.
Tene disciplinam, ne dimittas eam: custodi illam, quia ipsa est vita tua.
14 Do not do the things that wicked people do; [do not behave like they do]; do not even walk on the roads that evil [people] walk on [MET].
Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum, nec tibi placeat malorum via.
15 Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam: declina, et desere eam.
16 because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed [on that day]. They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.
Non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint: et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.
17 What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
Comedunt panem impietatis, et vinum iniquitatis bibunt.
18 The behavior of good/righteous [people] is like the light [that begins to shine] at dawn and then [continues to] shine brighter until the brightest time of day.
Iustorum autem semita quasi lux splendens, procedit et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.
19 [But] the behavior of wicked [people] is like deep/thick darkness. [Because it is very dark], they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.
Via impiorum tenebrosa: nesciunt ubi corruant.
20 My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
Fili mi, ausculta sermones meos, et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.
21 Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
Ne recedant ab oculis tuis, custodi ea in medio cordis tui:
22 because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
vita enim sunt invenientibus ea, et universæ carni sanitas.
23 It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procedit.
24 Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
Remove a te os pravum, et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.
25 Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos.
26 Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.
27 Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right. [Do only what is right] and keep yourself from [doing what is] evil.
Ne declines ad dexteram, neque ad sinistram: averte pedem tuum a malo. Vias enim, quæ a dextris sunt, novit Dominus: perversæ vero sunt quæ a sinistris sunt. Ipse autem rectos faciet cursus tuos, itinera autem tua in pace producet.
