Proverbiorum 4
1 audite filii disciplinam patris et adtendite ut sciatis prudentiam
My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
2 donum bonum tribuam vobis legem meam ne derelinquatis
What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
3 nam et ego filius fui patris mei tenellus et unigenitus coram matre mea
When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
4 et docebat me atque dicebat suscipiat verba mea cor tuum custodi praecepta mea et vives
my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
5 posside sapientiam posside prudentiam ne obliviscaris neque declines a verbis oris mei
Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
6 ne dimittas eam et custodiet te dilige eam et servabit te
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.
7 principium sapientiae posside sapientiam et in omni possessione tua adquire prudentiam
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.
8 arripe illam et exaltabit te glorificaberis ab ea cum eam fueris amplexatus
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.
9 dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum et corona inclita proteget te
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].
10 audi fili mi et suscipe verba mea ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitae
[So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
11 viam sapientiae monstravi tibi duxi te per semitas aequitatis
I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
12 quas cum ingressus fueris non artabuntur gressus tui et currens non habebis offendiculum
If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
13 tene disciplinam ne dimittas eam custodi illam quia ipsa est vita tua
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.
14 ne delecteris semitis impiorum nec tibi placeat malorum via
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].
15 fuge ab ea ne transeas per illam declina et desere eam
Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
16 non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi subplantaverint
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.
17 comedunt panem impietatis et vinum iniquitatis bibunt
What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
18 iustorum autem semita quasi lux splendens procedit et crescit usque ad perfectam diem
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.
19 via impiorum tenebrosa nesciunt ubi corruant
[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.
20 fili mi ausculta sermones meos et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam
My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
21 ne recedant ab oculis tuis custodi ea in medio cordis tui
Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
22 vita enim sunt invenientibus ea et universae carni sanitas
because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
23 omni custodia serva cor tuum quia ex ipso vita procedit
It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
24 remove a te os pravum et detrahentia labia sint procul a te
Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
25 oculi tui recta videant et palpebrae tuae praecedant gressus tuos
Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
26 dirige semitam pedibus tuis et omnes viae tuae stabilientur
Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
27 ne declines ad dexteram et ad sinistram averte pedem tuum a malo
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.
