Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine. Forsake ye not my law.
For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
4 And he taught me, and said to me, Let thy heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding. Do not forget, nor decline from the words of my mouth.
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve thee. Love her, and she will keep thee.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing. Get wisdom, yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee. She will bring thee to honor when thou embrace her.
Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9 She will give to thy head a garland of grace, a crown of beauty she will deliver to thee.
She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be many.
Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom. I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
12 When thou go, thy steps shall not be restricted. And if thou run, thou shall not stumble.
When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is thy life.
Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it. Do not pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
16 For they do not sleep unless they do evil. And their sleep is taken away unless they cause to fall.
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, that shines more and more to the perfect day.
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness. They know not at what they stumble.
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, attend to my words. Incline thine ear to my sayings.
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes. Keep them in the midst of thy heart.
Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
24 Put away from thee a wayward mouth, and put perverse lips far from thee.
Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
26 Make the path of thy feet level, and let all thy ways be established.
Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left. Remove thy foot from evil.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
