Liber Proverbiorum, 4
1. audite filii disciplinam patris et adtendite ut sciatis prudentiam
1. Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend that you may know prudence.
2. donum bonum tribuam vobis legem meam ne derelinquatis
2. I will give you a good gift, forsake not my law.
3. nam et ego filius fui patris mei tenellus et unigenitus coram matre mea
3. For I also was my father's son, tender and as an only son in the sight of my mother:
4. et docebat me atque dicebat suscipiat verba mea cor tuum custodi præcepta mea et vives
4. And he taught me, and said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.
5. posside sapientiam posside prudentiam ne obliviscaris neque declines a verbis oris mei
5. Get wisdom, get prudence: forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6. ne dimittas eam et custodiet te dilige eam et servabit te
6. Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee: love her, and she shall preserve thee.
7. principium sapientiæ posside sapientiam et in omni possessione tua adquire prudentiam
7. The beginning of wisdom, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase prudence.
8. arripe illam et exaltabit te glorificaberis ab ea cum eam fueris amplexatus
8. Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her.
9. dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum et corona inclita proteget te
9. She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown.
10. audi fili mi et suscipe verba mea ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitæ
10. Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee.
11. viam sapientiæ monstravi tibi duxi te per semitas æquitatis
11. I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity:
12. quas cum ingressus fueris non artabuntur gressus tui et currens non habebis offendiculum
12. Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock.
13. tene disciplinam ne dimittas eam custodi illam quia ipsa est vita tua
13. Take hold on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life.
14. ne delecteris semitis impiorum nec tibi placeat malorum via
14. Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee.
15. fuge ab ea ne transeas per illam declina et desere eam
15. Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake it.
16. non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi subplantaverint
16. For they sleep not except they have done evil: and their sleep is taken away unless they have made some to fall.
17. comedunt panem impietatis et vinum iniquitatis bibunt
17. They eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of iniquity.
18. justorum autem semita quasi lux splendens procedit et crescit usque ad perfectam diem
18. But the path of the just, as a shining light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day.
19. via impiorum tenebrosa nesciunt ubi corruant
19. The way of the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall.
20. fili mi ausculta sermones meos et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam
20. My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings.
21. ne recedant ab oculis tuis custodi ea in medio cordis tui
21. Let them not depart from thy eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart:
22. vita enim sunt invenientibus ea et universæ carni sanitas
22. For they are life to those that find them, and health to all flesh.
23. omni custodia serva cor tuum quia ex ipso vita procedit
23. With all watchfulness keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it.
24. remove a te os pravum et detrahentia labia sint procul a te
24. Remove from thee a froward mouth, and let detracting lips be far from thee.
25. oculi tui recta videant et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos
25. Let thy eyes look straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy steps.
26. dirige semitam pedibus tuis et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur
26. Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established.
27. ne declines ad dexteram et ad sinistram averte pedem tuum a malo
27. Decline not to the right hand, nor to the left: turn away thy foot from evil. For the Lord knoweth the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand. But he will make thy courses straight, he will bring forward thy ways in peace.
