Proverbiorum 4
1 Audite filii disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:
2 Donum bonum tribuam vobis, legem meam ne derelinquatis.
For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.
3 Nam et ego filius fui patris mei, tenellus, et unigenitus coram matre mea:
For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.
4 et docebat me, atque dicebat: Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum, custodi praecepta mea, et vives.
And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:
5 Posside sapientiam, posside prudentiam: ne obliviscaris, neque declines a verbis oris mei.
Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.
6 Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te: dilige eam, et conservabit te.
Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.
7 Principium sapientiae, posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam:
The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.
8 arripe illam, et exaltabit te: glorificaberis ab ea, cum eam fueris amplexatus.
Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love.
9 dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.
She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory.
10 Audi fili mi, et suscipe verba mea, ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitae.
Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.
11 Viam sapientiae monstrabo tibi, ducam te per semitas aequitatis:
I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.
12 quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum.
When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.
13 Tene disciplinam, ne dimittas eam: custodi illam, quia ipsa est via tua.
Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.
14 Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum, nec tibi placeat malorum via.
Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.
15 Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam: declina, et desere eam.
Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.
16 non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint: et non capitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.
For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall.
17 comedunt panem impietatis, et vinum iniquitatis bibunt.
The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.
18 Iustorum autem semita quasi lux splendens, procedit et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.
But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.
19 Via impiorum tenebrosa: nesciunt ubi corruant.
The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.
20 Fili mi, ausculta sermones meos, et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.
My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.
21 ne recedant ab oculis tuis, custodi ea in medio cordis tui:
Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.
22 vita enim sunt invenientibus ea, et universae carni sanitas.
For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.
23 Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procedit.
And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.
24 Remove a te os pravum, et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.
Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you.
25 Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebrae tuae praecedant gressus tuos.
Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you.
26 Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viae tuae stabilientur.
Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.
27 Ne declines ad dexteram, neque ad sinistram: averte pedem tuum a malo. vias enim, quae a dextris sunt, novit Dominus: perversae vero sunt quae a sinistris sunt. Ipse autem rectos faciet cursus tuos, itinera autem tua in pace producet.
Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.
