Proverbiorum 4
1 Audite filii disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
Listen, sons, to the discipline of a father, and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.
2 Donum bonum tribuam vobis, legem meam ne derelinquatis.
I will bestow upon you a good gift. Do not relinquish my law.
3 Nam et ego filius fui patris mei, tenellus, et unigenitus coram matre mea:
For I, too, was the son of my father, tender and an only son in the sight of my mother.
4 et docebat me, atque dicebat: Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum, custodi praecepta mea, et vives.
And he taught me, and he also said: “Let your heart accept my words. Keep my precepts, and you shall live.
5 Posside sapientiam, posside prudentiam: ne obliviscaris, neque declines a verbis oris mei.
Obtain wisdom, obtain prudence. May you neither forget, nor turn away from, the words of my mouth.
6 Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te: dilige eam, et conservabit te.
Do not send her away, and she will guard you. Love her, and she will preserve you.
7 Principium sapientiae, posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam:
The beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom, and, with all that you possess, to acquire prudence.
8 arripe illam, et exaltabit te: glorificaberis ab ea, cum eam fueris amplexatus.
Grasp her, and she will exalt you. You will be glorified by her, when you have embraced her.
9 dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.
She will bestow upon your head an increase in graces, and she will protect you with a noble crown.
10 Audi fili mi, et suscipe verba mea, ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitae.
Listen, my son, and accept my words, so that years of life may be multiplied for you.
11 Viam sapientiae monstrabo tibi, ducam te per semitas aequitatis:
I will demonstrate to you the way of wisdom. I will lead you along the paths of equity.
12 quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum.
When you have entered by these, your steps will not be constrained, and when running, you will have no obstacle.
13 Tene disciplinam, ne dimittas eam: custodi illam, quia ipsa est via tua.
Take hold of discipline. Do not dismiss it. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum, nec tibi placeat malorum via.
Do not delight in the paths of the impious, nor permit the way of evil-doers to please you.
15 Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam: declina, et desere eam.
Take flight from it. Do not pass close to it. Turn away and abandon it.
16 non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint: et non capitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.
For they do not sleep, unless they have done evil. And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.
17 comedunt panem impietatis, et vinum iniquitatis bibunt.
They eat the bread of impiety, and they drink the wine of iniquity.
18 Iustorum autem semita quasi lux splendens, procedit et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.
But the path of the just is like a shining light: it advances and increases, even to the day of completion.
19 Via impiorum tenebrosa: nesciunt ubi corruant.
The way of the impious is darkened. They do not know where they may fall.
20 Fili mi, ausculta sermones meos, et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.
My son, pay attention to my sermons, and incline your ear to my eloquent words.
21 ne recedant ab oculis tuis, custodi ea in medio cordis tui:
Let them not recede from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 vita enim sunt invenientibus ea, et universae carni sanitas.
For they are life to those who find them and health to all that is flesh.
23 Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procedit.
Preserve your heart with all watchfulness, for life proceeds from this.
24 Remove a te os pravum, et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.
Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth, and let detracting lips be far from you.
25 Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebrae tuae praecedant gressus tuos.
Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids precede your steps.
26 Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viae tuae stabilientur.
Direct the path of your feet, and all your ways shall be secure.
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.
Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left; yet turn your foot away from evil. For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right, and truly, those that are on the left are perverse. But he himself will make your courses straight. Then your journey will advance in peace.
