Proverbs 4

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Listen, my children, to a father's instruction; pay attention, and learn what understanding is.	1 Hear, O children, a father's instruction, be attentive, that you may gain understanding!
2 What I am offering you is sound doctrine: do not forsake my teaching.	2 Yes, excellent advice I give you; my teaching do not forsake.
3 I too was once a child with a father, in my mother's eyes a tender child, unique.	3 When I was my father's child, frail, yet the darling of my mother,
4 This was what he used to teach me, 'Let your heart treasure what I have to say, keep my principles andyou wil live;	4 He taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart hold fast my words: keep my commands, that you may live!
5 acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, never forget her, never deviate from my words.	5 "Get wisdom, get understanding! Do not forget or turn aside from the words I utter.
6 Do not desert her, she will keep you safe; love her, she wil watch over you.	6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will safeguard you;
7 The first principle of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; at the cost of all you have, acquire understanding!	7 The beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom; at the cost of all you have, get understanding.
8 Hold her close, and she wil make you great; embrace her, and she wil be your pride;	8 Extol her, and she will exalt you; she will bring you honors if you embrace her;
9 she will provide a graceful garland for your head, bestow a crown of honour on you.'	9 She will put on your head a graceful diadem; a glorious crown will she bestow on you."
10 Listen, my child, take my words to heart, and the years of your life wil be multiplied.	10 Hear, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life shall be many.
11 I have educated you in the ways of wisdom, I have guided you along the path of honesty.	11 On the way of wisdom I direct you, I lead you on straightforward paths.
12 When you walk, your going wil be unhindered, if you run, you wil not stumble.	12 When you walk, your step will not be impeded, and should you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold fast to discipline, never let her go, keep your eyes on her, she is your life.	13 Hold fast to instruction, never let her go; keep her, for she is your life.
14 Do not fol ow the path of the wicked, do not walk the way that the evil go.	14 The path of the wicked enter not, walk not on the way of evil men;
15 Avoid it, do not take it, turn your back on it, pass it by.	15 Shun it, cross it not, turn aside from it, and pass on.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they have first done wrong, they miss their sleep if they have not madesomeone stumble;	16 For they cannot rest unless they have done evil; to have made no one stumble steals away their sleep.
17 for the bread of wickedness is what they eat, and the wine of violence is what they drink.	17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the upright is like the light of dawn, its brightness growing to the ful ness of day;	18 But the path of the just is like shining light, that grows in brilliance till perfect day.
19 the way of the wicked is as dark as night, they cannot tel the obstacles they stumble over.	19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; they know not on what they stumble.
20 My child, pay attention to what I am telling you, listen careful y to my words;	20 My son, to my words be attentive, to my sayings incline your ear;
21 do not let them out of your sight, keep them deep in your heart.	21 Let them not slip out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them and health to al humanity.	22 For they are life to those who find them, to man's whole being they are health.
23 More than al else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wel springs of life.	23 With closest custody, guard your heart, for in it are the sources of life.
24 Turn your back on the mouth that misleads, keep your distance from lips that deceive.	24 Put away from you dishonest talk, deceitful speech put far from you.
25 Let your eyes be fixed ahead, your gaze be straight before you.	25 Let your eyes look straight ahead and your glance be directly forward.
26 Let the path you tread be level and al your ways be firm.	26 Survey the path for your feet, and let all your ways be sure.
27 Turn neither to right nor to left, keep your foot clear of evil.	27 Turn neither to right nor to left, keep your foot far from evil.