Ordsprogene 4
1 Hører, I Sønner! en Faders Undervisning og giver Agt for at faa Forstand;
Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
2 thi jeg har givet eder en god Lærdom; forlader ikke min Lov!
For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
3 Thi jeg var min Faders Søn, min Moders ømme og eneste Barn.
For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious 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.
So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
5 Køb Visdom, køb Forstand, glem ikke og vig ikke fra min Munds Ord.
Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
6 Forlad den ikke, saa skal den bevare dig, elsk den, saa skal den bevogte dig.
Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
7 Visdommens Begyndelse er: Køb Visdom, og for al din Ejendom køb Forstand!
The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
8 Ophøj den, saa skal den ophøje dig, naar du tager den i Favn, saa skal den ære dig.
Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
9 Den skal sætte en yndig Krans paa dit Hoved, den skal give dig en dejlig Krone.
She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
10 Hør, min Søn! og tag imod mine Ord, saa skulle dine Leveaar blive mange.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
11 Jeg underviser dig om Visdoms Vej, jeg leder dig paa jævne Stier.
In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
12 Naar du gaar, skal din Gang ikke blive trang, og naar du løber, skal du ikke støde dig.
When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Hold fast ved Undervisning, lad den ikke fare, bevar den; thi den er dit Liv.
Take fast hold of correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
14 Kom ikke paa de ugudeliges Sti, og gak ikke frem paa de ondes Vej!
Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
15 Lad den ligge, gak ikke frem paa den, vig fra den og gak forbi!
Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
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, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
17 Thi de æde Ugudeligheds Brød og drikke Uretfærdigheds Vin.
For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
18 Og de retfærdiges Sti er som et skinnende Lys, der bliver klarere og klarere indtil Middag.
But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
19 De ugudeliges Vej er som Mørket, de vide ikke, hvorpaa de skulle støde sig.
The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
20 Min Søn! giv Agt paa mine Ord, bøj dit Øre til min Tale.
My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
21 Lad dem ikke vige fra dine Øjne, bevar dem i dit Hjerte!
Let them not depart from thine 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, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
23 Bevar dit Hjerte fremfor alt det, der forvares; thi fra det udgaar Livet.
Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.
24 Hold dig fri for Munds Vanartighed, og lad Læbers Forvendthed være langt fra dig!
Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
25 Lad dine Øjne se ligefrem, og lad dine Øjenlaage være ret frem for dig!
Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
26 Overvej vel din Fods Sti, og alle dine Veje skulle faa Fasthed.
Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
27 Bøj ikke af til højre eller venstre, vend din Fod fra det onde!
Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
