Proverbios 4
1 Escuchad, hijos, la instrucción de un padre. Presta atención y conoce la comprensión;
My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
2 porque te doy un aprendizaje sólido. No abandones mi ley.
What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
3 Porque yo era hijo de mi padre, tierna y única a los ojos de mi madre.
When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
4 Me enseñó y me dijo: “Que tu corazón retenga mis palabras. Guarda mis mandamientos y vive.
my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
5 Obtenga sabiduría. Compréndelo. No lo olvides, y no te desvíes de las palabras de mi boca.
Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
6 No la abandones, y ella te preservará. Ámala, y ella te mantendrá.
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 La sabiduría es suprema. Consigue sabiduría. Sí, aunque te cueste todas tus posesiones, sé comprensivo.
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 Estimadla, y ella os exaltará. Ella te llevará al honor cuando la abraces.
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 Ella dará a tu cabeza una guirnalda de gracia. Te entregará una corona de esplendor”.
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. Los años de tu vida serán muchos.
[So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
11 Te he enseñado el camino de la sabiduría. Te he guiado por caminos rectos.
I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
12 Cuando vayas, tus pasos no se verán obstaculizados. Cuando corras, no tropezarás.
If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
13 Agarra firmemente la instrucción. No la dejes ir. Quédate con ella, 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 entres en el camino de los malvados. No sigas el camino de los hombres malos.
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 Evítalo y no pases de largo. Apártate de él y pasa de largo.
Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
16 Porque no duermen si no hacen el mal. Se les quita el sueño, a menos que hagan caer a alguien.
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 Porque comen el pan de la maldad y beber el vino de la violencia.
What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
18 Pero el camino de los justos es como la luz del amanecer que brilla más y más hasta el día perfecto.
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 malvados es como la oscuridad. No saben con qué tropiezan.
[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, atiende a mis palabras. Poned el oído en mis palabras.
My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
21 Que no se aparten de tus ojos. Manténgalos en el centro de su corazón.
Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
22 Porque son la vida para los que las encuentran, y salud a todo su cuerpo.
because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
23 Guarda tu corazón con toda diligencia, porque de ella brota el manantial de 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 Aparta de ti la boca perversa. Poner los labios corruptos lejos de ti.
Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
25 Deja que tus ojos miren al frente. Fija tu mirada directamente delante de ti.
Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
26 Haz que el camino de tus pies sea llano. Que se establezcan todos sus 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 te vuelvas a la derecha ni a la izquierda. Retira 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.
