Proverbiorum 4
1 Audite filii disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
Hear, all of you 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 all of you 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 your 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 you: love her, and she shall keep you.
7 Principium sapientiæ, posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting get understanding.
8 Arripe illam, et exaltabit te: glorificaberis ab ea, cum eam fueris amplexatus.
Exalt her, and she shall promote you: she shall bring you to honour, when you do embrace her.
9 Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.
She shall give to your head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to you.
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 your life shall be many.
11 Viam sapientiæ monstrabo tibi, ducam te per semitas æquitatis:
I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.
12 quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum.
When you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall 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 your 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 Iustorum autem semita quasi lux splendens, procedit et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines 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 your ear unto my sayings.
21 Ne recedant ab oculis tuis, custodi ea in medio cordis tui:
Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your 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 your 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 you a perverse mouth, and perverse lips put far from you.
25 Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos.
Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you.
26 Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.
Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your 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 your foot from evil.
