Proverbi 4:1-11

1 Figliuoli, ascoltate l’istruzione di un padre, e state attenti a imparare il discernimento;

2 perché io vi do una buona dottrina; non abbandonate il mio insegnamento.

3 Quand’ero ancora fanciullo presso mio padre, tenero ed unico presso mia madre,

4 egli mi ammaestrava e mi diceva: "Il tuo cuore ritenga le mie parole; osserva i miei comandamenti, e vivrai.

5 Acquista sapienza, acquista intelligenza; non dimenticare le parole della mia bocca, e non te ne sviare;

6 non abbandonare la sapienza, ed essa ti custodirà; amala, ed essa ti proteggerà.

7 Il principio della sapienza è: Acquista la sapienza. Sì, a costo di quanto possiedi, acquista l’intelligenza.

8 Esaltala, ed essa t’innalzerà; essa ti coprirà di gloria, quando l’avrai abbracciata.

9 Essa ti metterà sul capo una corona di grazia, ti farà dono d’un magnifico diadema".

10 Ascolta, figliuol mio, ricevi le mie parole, e anni di vita ti saranno moltiplicati.

11 Io ti mostro la via della sapienza, t’avvio per i sentieri della rettitudine.

Proverbi 4:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 4

In this chapter Solomon advises to seek after wisdom, to avoid bad company, and to continue in the right paths of goodness and truth: he excites attention to what he had to say, from the relation he stood in to the persons addressed; from the nature of his instructions, which were good and profitable; and from his own example, in attending to those his parents gave him, Pr 4:1-4; He exhorts above all things to get wisdom, from the superior excellency of it, and from the preservation, promotion, and honour, to be had by it, Pr 4:5-9; and he further enforces big exhortations, from their being the means of a comfortable life, and of the prolongation of it, and of leading in a right way without straitness or stumbling, Pr 4:10-13. And then proceeds to caution against bad company, and going into a bad way of life; which is enforced from the mischief done by those that walk in it, and from the darkness of it, to which the path of the just is opposed, Pr 4:14-19. And the exhortation to attend to and observe his instructions, and keep them, is repeated, from the consideration of their being life and health to them, Pr 4:20-22; and that they might be preserved, and not departed from, direction's are given about ordering the heart, mouth, lips, eyes, and feet, Pr 4:23-27.