父親的教誨

孩子們啊,
    你們要聽從父親的教誨,
    留心學習,以便領悟,
因為我給你們的訓誨是美好的,
    不可背棄我的教導。
我年幼時在父親身邊,
    是母親唯一的寵兒。
父親教導我說:
    「要牢記我的話,
    遵守我的誡命,就必存活。
你要尋求智慧和悟性,
    不要忘記或違背我的吩咐。
不可離棄智慧,智慧必護佑你;
    你要熱愛智慧,智慧必看顧你。
智慧至上,要尋求智慧,
    要不惜一切,求得悟性。
高舉智慧,她必使你受尊崇;
    擁抱智慧,她必使你得尊榮。
她必為你戴上華冠,
    加上榮冕。」

10 孩子啊,你要聽從我的教導,
    就必延年益壽。
11 我已經指示你走智慧之道,
    引導你行正確的路。
12 你行走,必不受妨礙;
    你奔跑,絕不會跌倒。
13 你要持守教誨,不要鬆懈;
    要守護好,因為那是你的生命。
14 不要涉足惡人的道,
    不要行走壞人的路;
15 要避開,不可踏足,
    要繞道而行。
16 因為他們不作惡就無法入睡,
    不絆倒人就無法安眠;
17 他們吃的是邪惡餅,
    喝的是殘暴酒。
18 義人的道路好像黎明的曙光,
    越照越亮,直到大放光明。
19 惡人的道路一片幽暗,
    他們不知被何物絆倒。

20 孩子啊,你要聆聽我的吩咐,
    側耳聽我的訓言;
21 不要讓它們離開你的視線,
    要牢記在心。
22 因為得到它們就得到生命,
    全身也必康健。
23 要一絲不苟地守護你的心,
    因為生命之泉從心中湧出。
24 不講欺詐之言,
    不說荒謬的話。
25 眼睛要正視前方,
    雙目要向前直看。
26 要鋪平腳下的路,
    使所行之道穩妥。
27 不可偏右偏左,
    要遠離惡事。

A Father’s Example

Listen, my sons, to a father’s discipline,(A)
and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,
for I am giving you good instruction.(B)
Don’t abandon my teaching.
When I was a son with my father,
tender and precious to my mother,
he taught me and said:
“Your heart must hold on to my words.
Keep my commands and live.(C)
Get wisdom, get understanding;(D)
don’t forget or turn away from the words of my mouth.
Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you;
love her,(E) and she will guard you.
Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom.
And whatever else you get, get understanding.(F)
Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
if you embrace her, she will honor you.(G)
She will place a garland of grace on your head;
she will give you a crown of beauty.”(H)

Two Ways of Life

10 Listen, my son. Accept my words,(I)
and you will live many years.(J)
11 I am teaching you the way of wisdom;
I am guiding you on straight paths.(K)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered;(L)
when you run, you will not stumble.(M)
13 Hold on to instruction; don’t let go.(N)
Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Don’t set foot on the path of the wicked;(O)
don’t proceed in the way of evil ones.
15 Avoid it; don’t travel on it.
Turn away from it, and pass it by.
16 For they can’t sleep
unless they have done what is evil;
they are robbed of sleep
unless they make someone stumble.(P)
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,(Q)
shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19 But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;(R)
they don’t know what makes them stumble.(S)

The Straight Path

20 My son, pay attention to my words;
listen closely to my sayings.(T)
21 Don’t lose sight of them;(U)
keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
and health to one’s whole body.
23 Guard your heart above all else,[a]
for it is the source of life.(V)
24 Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly,(W)
and don’t let your lips talk deviously.
25 Let your eyes look forward;
fix your gaze[b] straight ahead.(X)
26 Carefully consider the path[c] for your feet,(Y)
and all your ways will be established.
27 Don’t turn to the right or to the left;(Z)
keep your feet away from evil.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:23 Or heart with all diligence
  2. Proverbs 4:25 Lit eyelids
  3. Proverbs 4:26 Or Clear a path
Book name not found: 箴言 for the version: New Chhattisgarhi Translation (नवां नियम छत्तीसगढ़ी).