Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, And attend, that ye may learn understanding!
Audite filii disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
2 For I give you good instruction; Forsake ye not my commandments.
Donum bonum tribuam vobis, legem meam ne derelinquatis.
3 For I was my father's son, A tender and only child in the sight of my mother.
Nam et ego filius fui patris mei, tenellus, et unigenitus coram matre mea:
4 He taught me, and said to me, Let thy heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments, and live.
et docebat me, atque dicebat: Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum, custodi præcepta mea, et vives.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, and depart not from, the words of my mouth.
Posside sapientiam, posside prudentiam: ne obliviscaris, neque declines a verbis oris mei.
6 Forsake her not, and she will guard thee: Love her, and she will preserve thee.
Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te: dilige eam, et conservabit te.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore gain wisdom, And with all thy gain, gain understanding.
Principium sapientiæ, posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam:
8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her;
arripe illam, et exaltabit te: glorificaberis ab ea, cum eam fueris amplexatus.
9 She will give to thy head a graceful wreath, A beautiful crown will she bestow upon thee.
dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.
10 Hear, O my son! and receive my sayings! So shall the years of thy life be many.
Audi fili mi, et suscipe verba mea, ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitæ.
11 I have taught thee the way of wisdom, I have guided thee in the right path.
Viam sapientiæ monstrabo tibi, ducam te per semitas æquitatis:
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be confined; And, when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go; Keep her, for she is thy life.
Tene disciplinam, ne dimittas eam: custodi illam, quia ipsa est vita tua.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, And go not in the way of evil men;
Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum, nec tibi placeat malorum via.
15 Avoid it, pass not upon it, Turn from it, and go away.
Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam: declina, et desere eam.
16 For they sleep not, unless they have done mischief; Yea, their sleep is taken away, unless they have caused some to fall.
non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint: et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.
comedunt panem impietatis, et vinum iniquitatis bibunt.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, Which groweth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.
Iustorum autem semita quasi lux splendens, procedit et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.
19 The way of the wicked is as thick darkness; They know not at what they stumble.
Via impiorum tenebrosa: nesciunt ubi corruant.
20 My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear to my sayings;
Fili mi, ausculta sermones meos, et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart!
ne recedant ab oculis tuis, custodi ea in medio cordis tui:
22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
vita enim sunt invenientibus ea, et universæ carni sanitas.
23 More than any thing which thou watchest, watch thy heart; For from it goeth forth life.
Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procedit.
24 Put away from thee a deceitful mouth, And remove far from thee perverse lips.
Remove a te os pravum, et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.
25 Let thine eyes look straight forward, And thine eyelids be directed before thee.
Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos.
26 Give heed to the path of thy foot, And let all thy ways be steadfast.
Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.
27 Turn not to the right hand or to the left; Remove thy foot from evil.
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.
