箴言 4
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
父亲的教诲
4 孩子们啊，
你们要听从父亲的教诲，
留心学习，以便领悟，
2 因为我给你们的训诲是美好的，
不可背弃我的教导。
3 我年幼时在父亲身边，
是母亲唯一的宠儿。
4 父亲教导我说：
“要牢记我的话，
遵守我的诫命，就必存活。
5 你要寻求智慧和悟性，
不要忘记或违背我的吩咐。
6 不可离弃智慧，智慧必护佑你；
你要热爱智慧，智慧必看顾你。
7 智慧至上，要寻求智慧，
要不惜一切，求得悟性。
8 高举智慧，她必使你受尊崇；
拥抱智慧，她必使你得尊荣。
9 她必为你戴上华冠，
加上荣冕。”
10 孩子啊，你要听从我的教导，
就必延年益寿。
11 我已经指示你走智慧之道，
引导你行正确的路。
12 你行走，必不受妨碍；
你奔跑，绝不会跌倒。
13 你要持守教诲，不要松懈；
要守护好，因为那是你的生命。
14 不要涉足恶人的道，
不要行走坏人的路；
15 要避开，不可踏足，
要绕道而行。
16 因为他们不作恶就无法入睡，
不绊倒人就无法安眠；
17 他们吃的是邪恶饼，
喝的是残暴酒。
18 义人的道路好像黎明的曙光，
越照越亮，直到大放光明。
19 恶人的道路一片幽暗，
他们不知被何物绊倒。
20 孩子啊，你要聆听我的吩咐，
侧耳听我的训言；
21 不要让它们离开你的视线，
要牢记在心。
22 因为得到它们就得到生命，
全身也必康健。
23 要一丝不苟地守护你的心，
因为生命之泉从心中涌出。
24 不讲欺诈之言，
不说荒谬的话。
25 眼睛要正视前方，
双目要向前直看。
26 要铺平脚下的路，
使所行之道稳妥。
27 不可偏右偏左，
要远离恶事。
Proverbs 4
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 4
Acquire Wisdom[a]
1 Listen, my children, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 What I am offering to you is sound advice;
do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a young boy in my father’s house,
tender in years and my mother’s only child,
4 he taught me and said:
“Let your heart hold fast to my words;
follow my instructions and you will live.
5 “Acquire wisdom and gain understanding;
never forget or turn aside from my words.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
7 “The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom,
and no matter what the cost, acquire understanding.[b]
8 Extol wisdom, and she will exalt you;
if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9 She will place on your head a lovely garland
and bestow on you a crown of beauty.”
10 Listen, my son, and take my words to heart,
and the years of your life will be multiplied.
11 I have instructed you in the ways of wisdom
and led you along the paths of righteousness.
12 When you walk, your steps will be unimpeded,
and when you run, you will not stumble.[c]
13 Hold fast to instruction and never let her go;
guard her carefully, for she is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk on the road that evildoers follow.
15 Avoid it; do not go by it;
turn aside from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they have first done wrong;[d]
they cannot sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17 The bread of wickedness is their food,
and the wine of violence is their drink.[e]
18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which increases in brightness to the fullness of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness,[f]
and they cannot even see what they have stumbled over.
20 My son, concentrate attentively on my words;
pay heed to the instructions I pass on to you.
21 Do not let them slip from your mind;
keep them forever in your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them
and provide health to their entire being.
23 Guard your heart with all possible vigilance,
for from it flow the wellsprings of life.[g]
24 Turn away from the mouth that deceives
and keep your distance from lips that mislead.[h]
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze on what lies before you.
26 Ensure that the path you tread is level,
and then your ways will be sure.
27 Do not swerve either to the right or to the left;
keep your foot far from evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:1 We already know the essence that this warm (though overly loquacious) exhortation preaches. In the name of Deuteronomy, it insists on vigilance and fidelity. For in this world of traditions, wisdom is transmitted like an education, from parents to children, from masters to disciples. Nonetheless, all must experience the cost for themselves: vigilance and the guarding of one’s heart constitute, as it were, the necessary inner freedom that allows people to make progress along the way. Mastery of self merits reward even now. By contrast, in verses 16-19, a fine psychological analysis paints the picture of the wicked, the person haunted repeatedly by deadly personal projects.
- Proverbs 4:7 It is the beginning of wisdom to strive to acquire wisdom—and to do so no matter what the cost (see note on Prov 3:1-18).
- Proverbs 4:12 In the path of life, wisdom is the best companion and guide; she will remove the obstacles that we can encounter.
- Proverbs 4:16 They cannot rest until they have first done wrong: the same trait is alluded to in Ps 36:5; Mic 2:1. King David, on the other hand, refused to rest until he had first done right, i.e., found a house for the Lord (see Ps 132:3-5).
- Proverbs 4:17 Evildoers are totally committed to wickedness and violence (see Prov 13:2; Job 15:16).
- Proverbs 4:19 Deep darkness: a path that leads to destruction (see note on Prov 2:13; see also Isa 59:9-10; Jer 23:12; Jn 11:10; 12:35).
- Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart . . . wellsprings of life: those who store up good things in their hearts ensure that their words and actions will be good. Jesus said, “The mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart” (Mt 12:34).
- Proverbs 4:24 See note on Prov 2:12.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
