Proverbs 4
1 Hear, [my] sons, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding:
Audite filii disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
2 For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my law.
Donum bonum tribuam vobis, legem meam ne derelinquatis.
3 For I was a son unto my father, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
Nam et ego filius fui patris mei, tenellus, et unigenitus coram matre mea:
4 And he taught me, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words; keep my commandments, and live:
et docebat me, atque dicebat: Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum, custodi praecepta mea, et vives.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; forget [it] not, neither decline from the words of my mouth:
Posside sapientiam, posside prudentiam: ne obliviscaris, neque declines a verbis oris mei.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee; love her, and she shall keep thee.
Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te: dilige eam, et conservabit te.
7 Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: yea, with all thou hast gotten get understanding.
Principium sapientiae, posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam:
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
arripe illam, et exaltabit te: glorificaberis ab ea, cum eam fueris amplexatus.
9 She shall give to thine head a chaplet of grace: a crown of beauty shall she deliver to thee.
dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Audi fili mi, et suscipe verba mea, ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitae.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
Viam sapientiae monstrabo tibi, ducam te per semitas aequitatis:
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and if 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 via tua.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum, nec tibi placeat malorum via.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.
Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam: declina, et desere eam.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint: et non capitur 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 shining light, that shineth more and more 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 darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
Via impiorum tenebrosa: nesciunt ubi corruant.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto 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 thine heart.
ne recedant ab oculis tuis, custodi ea in medio cordis tui:
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
vita enim sunt invenientibus ea, et universae carni sanitas.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procedit.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Remove a te os pravum, et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebrae tuae praecedant gressus tuos.
26 Make level the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viae tuae stabilientur.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Ne declines ad dexteram, neque ad sinistram: averte pedem tuum a malo. vias enim, quae a dextris sunt, novit Dominus: perversae vero sunt quae a sinistris sunt. Ipse autem rectos faciet cursus tuos, itinera autem tua in pace producet.
