Proverbios 4
1 Oíd, hijos, las instrucciones de un padre; y prestad atención para aprender prudencia.
My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
2 Pues os enseño buena doctrina, no abandonéis mis lecciones.
What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
3 También yo fui hijo de mi padre, tierno y único ante mí madre.
When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
4 Él me enseñaba y me decía: Retenga tu corazón mis palabras; observa mis preceptos y vivirás.
my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
5 Adquiere la sabiduría, trata de alcanzar la inteligencia; no te olvides de ella, ni te apartes de los dichos de mi boca.
Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
6 No la dejes, y ella te guardará; ámala, y será tu defensa.
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 He aquí el principio de la sabiduría: adquirir la sabiduría, y a trueque de todos tus bienes alcanzar la inteligencia.
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 Tenla en gran estima, ella te ensalzará; te honrará cuando la estreches en tus brazos.
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 Ornará tu cabeza con una corona de gracia, y te regalará una magnífica diadema.
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 Escucha, hijo mío, y recibe mis palabras, para que se multipliquen los años de tu vida.
[So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
11 Yo te enseño el camino de la sabiduría, te conduzco por los senderos de la rectitud.
I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
12 Andando por ellos no serán acechados tus pasos, y si corres no tropezarás.
If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
13 Atente a la instrucción, nunca la dejes; guárdala, porque es tu vida.
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 No sigas los caminos de los impíos, no vayas por la ruta de los malvados.
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 Esquívala, no pases por ella; apártate de allí y pasa adelante.
Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
16 Porque ellos no duermen, si antes no han hecho algún mal; no pueden conciliar el sueño, si no han hecho caer a otro.
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 Comen el pan de la iniquidad, y beben el vino de la violencia.
What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
18 La senda de los justos es como la luz de la mañana, cuyo resplandor crece hasta ser pleno día.
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 El camino de los malos, en cambio, es como tinieblas; no saben en qué van a tropezar.
[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 Hijo mío, presta atención a mis palabras, inclina tus oídos a mis enseñanzas;
My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
21 no se aparten de tus ojos; guárdalas en lo íntimo de tu corazón.
Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
22 Son vida para quien las halla, salud para todo su cuerpo.
because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
23 Ante toda cosa guardada guarda tu corazón; porque de él mana la vida.
It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
24 Evita la perversidad de la lengua, y aleja de ti la maledicencia en el hablar.
Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
25 Miren de frente tus ojos, y tus párpados diríjanse a los pasos que des.
Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
26 Examina los pasos de tu pie y sean rectos todos tus caminos.
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 No declines ni a la derecha ni a la izquierda, y aparta tu pie del mal.
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.
