4:1 audite filii disciplinam patris et adtendite ut sciatis prudentiam

4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend, that you may know prudence.

4:2 donum bonum tribuam vobis legem meam ne derelinquatis

4:2 I will give you a good gift, forsake not my law.

4:3 nam et ego filius fui patris mei tenellus et unigenitus coram matre mea

4:3 For I also was my father's son, tender, and as an only son in the sight of my mother:

4:4 et docebat me atque dicebat suscipiat verba mea cor tuum custodi praecepta mea et vives

4:4 And he taught me, and said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.

4:5 posside sapientiam posside prudentiam ne obliviscaris neque declines a verbis oris mei

4:5 Get wisdom, get prudence: forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth.

4:6 ne dimittas eam et custodiet te dilige eam et servabit te

4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee: love her, and she shall preserve thee.

4:7 principium sapientiae posside sapientiam et in omni possessione tua adquire prudentiam

4:7 The beginning of wisdom, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase prudence.

4:8 arripe illam et exaltabit te glorificaberis ab ea cum eam fueris amplexatus

4:8 Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her.

4:9 dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum et corona inclita proteget te

4:9 She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown.

4:10 audi fili mi et suscipe verba mea ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitae

4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee.

4:11 viam sapientiae monstravi tibi duxi te per semitas aequitatis

4:11 I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity:

4:12 quas cum ingressus fueris non artabuntur gressus tui et currens non habebis offendiculum

4:12 Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock.

4:13 tene disciplinam ne dimittas eam custodi illam quia ipsa est vita tua

4:13 Take hold on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life.

4:14 ne delecteris semitis impiorum nec tibi placeat malorum via

4:14 Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee.

4:15 fuge ab ea ne transeas per illam declina et desere eam

4:15 Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake it.

4:16 non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi subplantaverint

4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done evil: and their sleep is taken away unless they have made some to fall.

4:17 comedunt panem impietatis et vinum iniquitatis bibunt

4:17 They eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of iniquity.

4:18 iustorum autem semita quasi lux splendens procedit et crescit usque ad perfectam diem

4:18 But the path of the just, as a shining light, goeth forwards, and increaseth even to perfect day.

4:19 via impiorum tenebrosa nesciunt ubi corruant

4:19 The way of the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall.

4:20 fili mi ausculta sermones meos et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam

4:20 My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings.

4:21 ne recedant ab oculis tuis custodi ea in medio cordis tui

4:21 Let them not depart from thy eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart:

4:22 vita enim sunt invenientibus ea et universae carni sanitas

4:22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all flesh.

4:23 omni custodia serva cor tuum quia ex ipso vita procedit

4:23 With all watchfulness keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it.

4:24 remove a te os pravum et detrahentia labia sint procul a te

4:24 Remove from thee a froward mouth, and let detracting lips be far from thee.

4:25 oculi tui recta videant et palpebrae tuae praecedant gressus tuos

4:25 Let thy eyes look straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy steps.

4:26 dirige semitam pedibus tuis et omnes viae tuae stabilientur

4:26 Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established.

4:27 ne declines ad dexteram et ad sinistram averte pedem tuum a malo

4:27 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.