Proverbs 4

1 My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.

Hør, I Sønner, paa en Faders Tugt, lyt til for at vinde Forstand;

2 What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.

thi gavnlig Viden giver jeg jer, slip ej hvad jeg har lært jer.

3 When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,

Da jeg var min Faders Dreng, min Moders Kælebarn og eneste,

4 my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].

lærte han mig og sagde: Lad dit Hjerte gribe om mine Ord, vogt mine Bud, saa skal du leve;

5 Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.

køb Visdom, køb Forstand, du glemme det ikke, vend dig ej bort fra min Munds Ord;

6 Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected [from all evil/danger]. If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.

slip den ikke, saa vil den vogte dig, elsk den, saa vil den værne dig!

7 The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.

Køb Visdom for det bedste, du ejer, køb Forstand for alt, hvad du har;

8 If you consider being wise to be very valuable, [people] will think very highly of you. If you cling to wisdom [like you would cling to a woman you love], [many people] will honor you.

hold den højt, saa bringer den dig højt til Vejrs, den bringer dig Ære, naar du favner den;

9 If you become wise, that will for you be [like] a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head; it will be [like] a king’s glorious crown.” [That is what my father told me].

den sætter en yndig Krans paa dit Hoved; den rækker dig en dejlig Krone.

10 [So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.

Hør, min Søn, tag imod mine Ord, saa bliver dine Leveaar mange.

11 I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].

Jeg viser dig Visdommens Vej, leder dig ad Rettens Spor;

12 If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].

naar du gaar, skal din Gang ej hæmmes, og løber du, snubler du ikke;

13 Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do, and do not let them go. Guard them, because they [will be the source of a good] life.

hold fast ved Tugt, lad den ikke fare, tag Vare paa den, thi den er dit Liv.

14 Do not do the things that wicked people do; [do not behave like they do]; do not even walk on the roads that evil [people] walk on [MET].

Kom ikke paa gudløses Sti, skrid ej frem ad de ondes Vej.

15 Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;

sky den og følg den ikke, vig fra den, gaa udenom;

16 because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed [on that day]. They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.

thi de sover ikke, naar de ikke har syndet, og Søvnen flyr dem, naar de ej har bragt Fald.

17 What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”

Thi de æder Gudløsheds Brød og drikker Urettens Vin.

18 The behavior of good/righteous [people] is like the light [that begins to shine] at dawn and then [continues to] shine brighter until the brightest time of day.

men retfærdiges Sti er som straalende Lys, der vokser i Glans til højlys Dag:

19 [But] the behavior of wicked [people] is like deep/thick darkness. [Because it is very dark], they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.

Gudløses Vej er som Mørket, de skønner ej, hvad de snubler over,

20 My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.

Mærk dig, min Søn, mine Ord, bøj Øret til, hvad jeg siger;

21 Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,

det slippe dig ikke af Syne, du vogte det dybt i dit Hjerte;

22 because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.

thi det er Liv for dem, der finder det, Helse for alt deres Kød.

23 It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.

Vogt dit Hjerte mer end alt andet, thi derfra udspringer Livet.

24 Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.

Hold dig fra Svig med din Mund, lad Læbernes Falskhed være dig fjern.

25 Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.

Lad dine Øjne se lige ud, dit Blik skue lige frem;

26 Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.

gaa ad det lige Spor, lad alle dine Veje sigte mod Maalet;

27 Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right. [Do only what is right] and keep yourself from [doing what is] evil.

bøj hverken til højre eller venstre, lad Foden vige fra ondt!