Proverbs 4
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
孩子，你們要聽父親的教訓，專心學習明智，
2 For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
因為我把好教訓授給你們，你們不要拋棄我的規勸。
3 When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
我也曾在父親面前作過孝子，在我母親膝下是唯一的嬌兒。
4 he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
我父曾訓誨我說：你應留心牢記我的話，遵守我的命令，好使你生存；
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
你應緊握智慧，握住明智，不要忘記，也不要離棄我口中的教訓：
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
你若不捨棄她，她必護佑你；你若喜愛她，她必看顧你。
7 Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
首先應爭取的是智慧，因此你應尋求智慧，應犧牲一切去爭取明智。
8 Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
你若顯揚智慧，智慧也必顯揚你；你若懷抱她，她也必光榮你：
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
將華冠加在你的頭上，將榮冕賜給你。
10 Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
我兒，你若聽取我的訓言，你必延年益壽。
11 I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
我要教給你智慧的道路，引你走上正直的途徑：
12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
這樣，你若行走，你的腳決不會受阻礙；即便你奔馳，也決不致顛仆。
13 Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
你要堅持教訓，切勿把她拋棄；你應保存她，因為她是你的生命。
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
惡人的道路，你不要進去；壞人的途徑，你不要踏入；
15 Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
反應躲避，不經其上；遠遠離去，繞道他往。
16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
因為他們不作惡，不能入睡；不使人跌倒，就要失眠。
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
他們吃的是邪惡的餅，飲的是暴虐的酒。
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
但是，義人的途徑，像黎明的曙光，越來越明亮，直至成日中；
19 But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
惡人的道路，卻宛如幽暗，他們不知道，要跌在何處。
20 My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
我兒，你要注意我的訓言，側耳傾聽我的教導；
21 Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
不要讓她離開你的視線，卻要牢記在心中。
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
因為，凡找著她的，必獲得生命；他整個身軀，必獲得健康。
23 Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
在一切之上，你要謹守你的心，因為生命是由此而生。
24 Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
你應摒絕口舌的欺詐，遠避唇舌的乖謬。
25 Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
你的眼睛應向前直視，你的視線應向前集中。
26 Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
你要修平你腳下的行徑，要鞏固你一切的路途。
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
你斷不可左傾右依，務使你的腳遠離邪惡。
