Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Audite, filii, disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
2 For I give you a good gift; forsake ye not my law.
Donum bonum tribuam vobis: legem meam ne derelinquatis.
3 For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of [my] mother:
Nam et ego filius fui patris mei, tenellus et unigenitus coram matre mea.
4 who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in thine heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
Et docebat me, atque dicebat: Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum; custodi præcepta mea, et vives.
5 and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
Posside sapientiam, posside prudentiam: ne obliviscaris, neque declines a verbis oris mei.
6 And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: love it, and it shall keep thee.
Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te: dilige eam, et conservabit te.
Principium sapientiæ: posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam.
8 Secure it, and it shall exalt thee: honour it, that it may embrace thee;
Arripe illam, et exaltabit te; glorificaberis ab ea cum eam fueris amplexatus.
9 that it may give unto thy head a crown of graces, and may cover thee with a crown of delight.
Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.
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.
Audi, fili mi, et suscipe verba mea, ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitæ.
11 For I teach thee the ways of wisdom; and I cause thee to go in right paths.
Viam sapientiæ monstrabo tibi; ducam te per semitas æquitatis:
12 For when thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not be distressed.
quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum.
13 Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for thyself for thy life.
Tene disciplinam, ne dimittas eam; custodi illam, quia ipsa est vita tua.
14 Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum, nec tibi placeat malorum via.
15 In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not thither; but turn from them, and pass away.
Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam; declina, et desere eam.
16 For they cannot sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
Non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint, et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.
17 For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
Comedunt panem impietatis, et vinum iniquitatis bibunt.
18 But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
Justorum autem semita quasi lux splendens procedit, et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.
19 But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
Via impiorum tenebrosa; nesciunt ubi corruant.
20 [My] son, attend to my speech; and apply thine ear to my words:
Fili mi, ausculta sermones meos, et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.
21 that thy fountains may not fail thee; keep them in [thine] heart.
Ne recedant ab oculis tuis: custodi ea in medio cordis tui:
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.
vita enim sunt invenientibus ea, et universæ carni sanitas.
23 Keep thine heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procedit.
24 Remove from thee a froward mouth, and put far away from thee unjust lips.
Remove a te os pravum, et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids assent [to] just [things].
Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos.
26 Make straight paths for thy feet, and order thy ways aright.
Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.
27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away thy foot from an evil way.
Ne declines ad dexteram neque ad sinistram; averte pedem tuum a malo: vias enim quæ a dextris sunt novit Dominus: perversæ vero sunt quæ a sinistris sunt. Ipse autem rectos faciet cursus tuos, itinera autem tua in pace producet.
