Proverbiorum 4
1 Audite filii disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, And attend, that ye may learn understanding!
2 Donum bonum tribuam vobis, legem meam ne derelinquatis.
For I give you good instruction; Forsake ye not my commandments.
3 Nam et ego filius fui patris mei, tenellus, et unigenitus coram matre mea:
For I was my father's son, A tender and only child 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, and said to me, Let thy heart hold fast 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 not, and depart not from, the words of my mouth.
6 Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te: dilige eam, et conservabit te.
Forsake her not, and she will guard thee: Love her, and she will preserve thee.
7 Principium sapientiæ, posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore gain wisdom, And with all thy gain, gain understanding.
8 Arripe illam, et exaltabit te: glorificaberis ab ea, cum eam fueris amplexatus.
Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her;
9 Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.
She will give to thy head a graceful wreath, A beautiful crown will she bestow upon thee.
10 Audi fili mi, et suscipe verba mea, ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitæ.
Hear, O my son! and receive my sayings! So shall the years of thy life be many.
11 Viam sapientiæ monstrabo tibi, ducam te per semitas æquitatis:
I have taught thee the way of wisdom, I have guided thee in the right path.
12 quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be confined; 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 upon it, Turn from it, and go away.
16 Non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint: et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.
For they sleep not, unless they have done mischief; Yea, their sleep is taken away, unless they have caused 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 righteous is as the light of dawn, Which groweth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.
19 Via impiorum tenebrosa: nesciunt ubi corruant.
The way of the wicked is as thick 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 to 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 thy heart!
22 vita enim sunt invenientibus ea, et universæ carni sanitas.
For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
23 Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procedit.
More than any thing which thou watchest, watch thy heart; For from it goeth forth life.
24 Remove a te os pravum, et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.
Put away from thee a deceitful mouth, And remove far from thee perverse lips.
25 Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos.
Let thine eyes look straight forward, And thine eyelids be directed before thee.
26 Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.
Give heed to the path of thy foot, And let all thy ways be steadfast.
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 or to the left; Remove thy foot from evil.
