Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.
Audite filii disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
2 I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.
Donum bonum tribuam vobis, legem meam ne derelinquatis.
3 When I was a son of my father, the tender and only child 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 your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and live.
et docebat me, atque dicebat: Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum, custodi præcepta mea, et vives.
5 Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;
Posside sapientiam, posside prudentiam: ne obliviscaris, neque declines a verbis oris mei.
6 do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.
Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te: dilige eam, et conservabit te.
7 Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.
Principium sapientiæ, posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam.
8 Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you; she will honor you when you embrace her.
Arripe illam, et exaltabit te: glorificaberis ab ea, cum eam fueris amplexatus.
9 She will put a wreath of honor on your head; she will give you a beautiful crown.”
Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.
10 Listen, my son, and pay attention to my words, and you will have many years in your life.
Audi fili mi, et suscipe verba mea, ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitæ.
11 I direct you in the way of wisdom; I lead you down straight paths.
Viam sapientiæ monstrabo tibi, ducam te per semitas æquitatis:
12 When you walk, no one will stand in your way and if you run, you will not stumble.
quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it, for it is your life.
Tene disciplinam, ne dimittas eam: custodi illam, quia ipsa est vita tua.
14 Do not follow the path of the wicked and do not go along the way of those who do evil.
Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum, nec tibi placeat malorum via.
15 Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and go another way.
Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam: declina, et desere eam.
16 For they cannot sleep until they do evil and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone to stumble.
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 righteous people is like the first light that grows brighter; it shines more and more until the fullness of the day comes.
Iustorum autem semita quasi lux splendens, procedit et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness— they do not know what it is they stumble over.
Via impiorum tenebrosa: nesciunt ubi corruant.
20 My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
Fili mi, ausculta sermones meos, et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.
21 Do not let them turn away from your eyes; keep them in your heart.
Ne recedant ab oculis tuis, custodi ea in medio cordis tui:
22 For my words are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.
vita enim sunt invenientibus ea, et universæ carni sanitas.
23 Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procedit.
24 Put crooked speech away from you and put corrupt talk far from you.
Remove a te os pravum, et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead and fix your gaze straight before you.
Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos.
26 Make a level path for your foot; then all your ways will be secure.
Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.
27 Do not turn aside to the right or to the left; turn your foot away 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.
