Proverbiorum 4
1 Audite filii disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
2 Donum bonum tribuam vobis, legem meam ne derelinquatis.
for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
3 Nam et ego filius fui patris mei, tenellus, et unigenitus coram matre mea:
For I was a son to my father, tender and an 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 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. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
6 Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te: dilige eam, et conservabit te.
Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
7 Principium sapientiæ, posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam.
Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8 Arripe illam, et exaltabit te: glorificaberis ab ea, cum eam fueris amplexatus.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
9 Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.
She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”
10 Audi fili mi, et suscipe verba mea, ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitæ.
Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will 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 straight paths.
12 quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum.
When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
13 Tene disciplinam, ne dimittas eam: custodi illam, quia ipsa est vita tua.
Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
14 Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum, nec tibi placeat malorum via.
Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15 Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam: declina, et desere eam.
Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
16 Non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint: et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.
For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone 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 like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
19 Via impiorum tenebrosa: nesciunt ubi corruant.
The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
20 Fili mi, ausculta sermones meos, et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.
My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to 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 center of your heart.
22 vita enim sunt invenientibus ea, et universæ carni sanitas.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
23 Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procedit.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24 Remove a te os pravum, et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.
Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
25 Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos.
Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.
Make the path of your feet level. Let all of 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.
Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
