Ordsprogene 4
1 Hører, I Sønner! en Faders Undervisning og giver Agt for at faa Forstand;
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend that you may know prudence.
2 thi jeg har givet eder en god Lærdom; forlader ikke min Lov!
I will give you a good gift, forsake not my law.
3 Thi jeg var min Faders Søn, min Moders ømme og eneste Barn.
For I also was my father’s son, tender and as an only son in the sight of my mother:
4 Og han lærte mig og sagde til mig: Lad dit Hjerte holde fast ved mit Ord, bevar mine Bud, saa skal du leve.
And he taught me, and said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.
5 Køb Visdom, køb Forstand, glem ikke og vig ikke fra min Munds Ord.
Get wisdom, get prudence: forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Forlad den ikke, saa skal den bevare dig, elsk den, saa skal den bevogte dig.
Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee: love her, and she shall preserve thee.
7 Visdommens Begyndelse er: Køb Visdom, og for al din Ejendom køb Forstand!
The beginning of wisdom, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase prudence.
8 Ophøj den, saa skal den ophøje dig, naar du tager den i Favn, saa skal den ære dig.
Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her.
9 Den skal sætte en yndig Krans paa dit Hoved, den skal give dig en dejlig Krone.
She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown.
10 Hør, min Søn! og tag imod mine Ord, saa skulle dine Leveaar blive mange.
Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee.
11 Jeg underviser dig om Visdoms Vej, jeg leder dig paa jævne Stier.
I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity:
12 Naar du gaar, skal din Gang ikke blive trang, og naar du løber, skal du ikke støde dig.
Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock.
13 Hold fast ved Undervisning, lad den ikke fare, bevar den; thi den er dit Liv.
Take hold on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life.
14 Kom ikke paa de ugudeliges Sti, og gak ikke frem paa de ondes Vej!
Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee.
15 Lad den ligge, gak ikke frem paa den, vig fra den og gak forbi!
Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake it.
16 Thi de sove ikke, naar de ikke have gjort ilde; og deres Søvn flyr fra dem, naar de ikke have bragt nogen til Fald.
For they sleep not except they have done evil: and their sleep is taken away unless they have made some to fall.
17 Thi de æde Ugudeligheds Brød og drikke Uretfærdigheds Vin.
They eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of iniquity.
18 Og de retfærdiges Sti er som et skinnende Lys, der bliver klarere og klarere indtil Middag.
But the path of the just, as a shining light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day.
19 De ugudeliges Vej er som Mørket, de vide ikke, hvorpaa de skulle støde sig.
The way of the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall.
20 Min Søn! giv Agt paa mine Ord, bøj dit Øre til min Tale.
My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings.
21 Lad dem ikke vige fra dine Øjne, bevar dem i dit Hjerte!
Let them not depart from thy eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart:
22 Thi de ere Liv for hver den, som finder dem, og Lægedom for hans hele Legeme.
For they are life to those that find them, and health to all flesh.
23 Bevar dit Hjerte fremfor alt det, der forvares; thi fra det udgaar Livet.
With all watchfulness keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it.
24 Hold dig fri for Munds Vanartighed, og lad Læbers Forvendthed være langt fra dig!
Remove from thee a froward mouth, and let detracting lips be far from thee.
25 Lad dine Øjne se ligefrem, og lad dine Øjenlaage være ret frem for dig!
Let thy eyes look straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy steps.
26 Overvej vel din Fods Sti, og alle dine Veje skulle faa Fasthed.
Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established.
27 Bøj ikke af til højre eller venstre, vend din Fod fra det onde!
Decline not to the right hand, nor to the left: turn away thy foot from evil. For the Lord knoweth the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand. But he will make thy courses straight, he will bring forward thy ways in peace.
