Mudre Izreke 3

1 Sine moj, ne zaboravljaj moje pouke, i tvoje srce neka čuva moje zapovijedi,

[My] son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words:

2 jer će ti produljiti dane i životne godine i podariti spokojstvo.

for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

3 Neka te ne ostavljaju dobrota i vjernost, objesi ih sebi oko vrata, upiši ih na ploču srca svoga.

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck:

4 Tako ćeš steći ugled i uspjeti pred Božjim i ljudskim očima.

so shalt thou find favour: and do thou provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.

5 Uzdaj se u Jahvu svim srcem i ne oslanjaj se na vlastiti razbor.

Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom.

6 Misli na nj na svim svojim putovima i on će ispraviti tvoje staze.

In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.

7 Ne umišljaj da si mudar: boj se Jahve i kloni se zla.

Be not wise in thine own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.

8 To će biti lijek tvome tijelu i okrepa tvojim kostima.

Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones.

9 Časti Jahvu svojim blagom i prvinama svega svojeg prirasta.

Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness:

10 I tvoje će žitnice biti prepune i tvoje će se kace prelijevati novim vinom.

that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine.

11 Sine moj, ne odbacuj Jahvine opomene i nemoj da ti omrzne njegov ukor.

[My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

12 Jer koga Jahve ljubi onoga i kori, kao otac sina koga voli.

for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.

13 Blago čovjeku koji je stekao mudrost i čovjeku koji je zadobio razboritost.

Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.

14 Jer bolje je steći nju nego steći srebro, i veći je dobitak ona i od zlata.

For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.

15 Skupocjenija je od bisera, i što je god tvojih dragocjenosti, s njome se porediti ne mogu;

And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.

16 dug joj je život u desnoj ruci, a u lijevoj bogatstvo i čast.

For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.

17 Njezini su putovi putovi miline i sve su njene staze pune spokoja.

Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.

18 Životno je drvo onima koji se nje drže i sretan je onaj tko je zadrži.

She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.

19 Jahve je mudrošću utemeljio zemlju i umom utvrdio nebesa;

God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.

20 njegovim su se znanjem otvorili bezdani i oblaci osuli rosom.

By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.

21 Sine moj, ne gubi to iz očiju, sačuvaj razbor i oprez.

[My] son, let [them] not pass from [thee], but keep my counsel and understanding:

22 I bit će život tvojoj duši i ures vratu tvome.

that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck; and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones:

23 Bez straha ćeš tada kročiti svojim putem i noga ti se neće spoticati.

that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble.

24 Kad legneš, nećeš se plašiti, i kad zaspiš, slatko ćeš snivati.

For if thou rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly.

25 Ne boj se nenadne strahote ni nagle propasti kad stigne bezbožnike.

And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.

26 Jer će ti Jahve biti uzdanje i čuvat će nogu tvoju od zamke.

For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved.

27 Ne uskrati dobročinstva potrebitim kad god to možeš učiniti.

Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have [power] to help [him].

28 Ne reci svome bližnjemu: “Idi i dođi opet, sjutra ću ti dati”, kad možeš već sada.

Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do [him] good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth.

29 Ne kuj zla svome bližnjemu dok on bez straha kod tebe boravi.

Devise not evil against thy friend, living near thee and trusting in thee.

30 Ne pravdaj se ni s kim bez razloga ako ti nije učinio nikakva zla.

Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm.

31 Nemoj zavidjeti nasilniku niti slijediti njegove pute,

Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways.

32 jer su Jahvi mrski pokvarenjaci, a prisan je s pravednima.

For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.

33 Jahvino je prokletstvo na domu bezbožnika, a blagoslov u stanu pravednika.

The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.

34 S podsmjevačima on se podsmijeva, a poniznima dariva milost.

The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.

35 Mudri će baštiniti čast, a bezumnici snositi sramotu.

The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonour.