Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
孩子，你們要聽父親的教訓，專心學習明智，
2 For I give you a good gift; forsake ye not my law.
因為我把好教訓授給你們，你們不要拋棄我的規勸。
3 For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight 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 who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in thine heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
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 and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
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 And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: love it, and it shall keep thee.
你若不捨棄她，她必護佑你；你若喜愛她，她必看顧你。
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 Secure it, and it shall exalt thee: honour it, that it may embrace thee;
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 that it may give unto thy head a crown of graces, and may cover thee with a crown of delight.
將華冠加在你的頭上，將榮冕賜給你。
10 Hear, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of thy life shall be increased, that the resources of thy life may be many.
我兒，你若聽取我的訓言，你必延年益壽。
11 For I teach thee the ways of wisdom; and I cause thee to go in right paths.
我要教給你智慧的道路，引你走上正直的途徑：
12 For when thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not be distressed.
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 Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for thyself for thy 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 Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
惡人的道路，你不要進去；壞人的途徑，你不要踏入；
15 In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not thither; but turn from them, and pass away.
反應躲避，不經其上；遠遠離去，繞道他往。
16 For they cannot sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
因為他們不作惡，不能入睡；不使人跌倒，就要失眠。
17 For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
他們吃的是邪惡的餅，飲的是暴虐的酒。
18 But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
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 ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
惡人的道路，卻宛如幽暗，他們不知道，要跌在何處。
20 [My] son, attend to my speech; and apply thine ear to my words:
我兒，你要注意我的訓言，側耳傾聽我的教導；
21 that thy fountains may not fail thee; keep them in [thine] 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 that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.
因為，凡找著她的，必獲得生命；他整個身軀，必獲得健康。
23 Keep thine heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
在一切之上，你要謹守你的心，因為生命是由此而生。
24 Remove from thee a froward mouth, and put far away from thee unjust lips.
你應摒絕口舌的欺詐，遠避唇舌的乖謬。
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids assent [to] just [things].
你的眼睛應向前直視，你的視線應向前集中。
26 Make straight paths for thy feet, and order thy ways aright.
你要修平你腳下的行徑，要鞏固你一切的路途。
27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away thy foot from an evil way.
你斷不可左傾右依，務使你的腳遠離邪惡。
