Proverbiorum 4
1 Audite filii disciplinam patris, et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.
My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
2 Donum bonum tribuam vobis, legem meam ne derelinquatis.
What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
3 Nam et ego filius fui patris mei, tenellus, et unigenitus coram matre mea:
When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
4 et docebat me, atque dicebat: Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum, custodi praecepta mea, et vives.
my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
5 Posside sapientiam, posside prudentiam: ne obliviscaris, neque declines a verbis oris mei.
Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
6 Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te: dilige eam, et conservabit te.
Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected [from all evil/danger]. If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.
7 Principium sapientiae, posside sapientiam, et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam:
The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.
8 arripe illam, et exaltabit te: glorificaberis ab ea, cum eam fueris amplexatus.
If you consider being wise to be very valuable, [people] will think very highly of you. If you cling to wisdom [like you would cling to a woman you love], [many people] will honor you.
9 dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum, et corona inclyta proteget te.
If you become wise, that will for you be [like] a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head; it will be [like] a king’s glorious crown.” [That is what my father told me].
10 Audi fili mi, et suscipe verba mea, ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitae.
[So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
11 Viam sapientiae monstrabo tibi, ducam te per semitas aequitatis:
I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
12 quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum.
If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
13 Tene disciplinam, ne dimittas eam: custodi illam, quia ipsa est via tua.
Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do, and do not let them go. Guard them, because they [will be the source of a good] life.
14 Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum, nec tibi placeat malorum via.
Do not do the things that wicked people do; [do not behave like they do]; do not even walk on the roads that evil [people] walk on [MET].
15 Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam: declina, et desere eam.
Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
16 non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint: et non capitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.
because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed [on that day]. They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.
17 comedunt panem impietatis, et vinum iniquitatis bibunt.
What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
18 Iustorum autem semita quasi lux splendens, procedit et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.
The behavior of good/righteous [people] is like the light [that begins to shine] at dawn and then [continues to] shine brighter until the brightest time of day.
19 Via impiorum tenebrosa: nesciunt ubi corruant.
[But] the behavior of wicked [people] is like deep/thick darkness. [Because it is very dark], they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.
20 Fili mi, ausculta sermones meos, et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.
My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
21 ne recedant ab oculis tuis, custodi ea in medio cordis tui:
Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
22 vita enim sunt invenientibus ea, et universae carni sanitas.
because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
23 Omni custodia serva cor tuum, quia ex ipso vita procedit.
It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
24 Remove a te os pravum, et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.
Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
25 Oculi tui recta videant, et palpebrae tuae praecedant gressus tuos.
Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
26 Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viae tuae stabilientur.
Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
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.
Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right. [Do only what is right] and keep yourself from [doing what is] evil.
