Proverbiorum 4
1 [Audite, filii, disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
HEAR, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 Donum bonum tribuam vobis: legem meam ne derelinquatis.
For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3 Nam et ego filius fui patris mei, tenellus et unigenitus coram matre mea.
For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 Et docebat me, atque dicebat: Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum; custodi præcepta mea, et vives.
He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5 Posside sapientiam, posside prudentiam: ne obliviscaris, neque declines a verbis oris mei.
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te: dilige eam, et conservabit te.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7 Principium sapientiæ: posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Arripe illam, et exaltabit te; glorificaberis ab ea cum eam fueris amplexatus.
Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9 Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.]
She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10 [Audi, fili mi, et suscipe verba mea, ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitæ.
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 Viam sapientiæ monstrabo tibi; ducam te per semitas æquitatis:
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12 quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Tene disciplinam, ne dimittas eam; custodi illam, quia ipsa est vita tua.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14 Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum, nec tibi placeat malorum via.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15 Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam; declina, et desere eam.
Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16 Non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint, et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 Comedunt panem impietatis, et vinum iniquitatis bibunt.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 Justorum autem semita quasi lux splendens procedit, et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 Via impiorum tenebrosa; nesciunt ubi corruant.
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20 Fili mi, ausculta sermones meos, et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Ne recedant ab oculis tuis: custodi ea in medio cordis tui:
Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 vita enim sunt invenientibus ea, et universæ carni sanitas.
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procedit.
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Remove a te os pravum, et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25 Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos.
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27 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.]
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
