Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine. Forsake ye not my law.
For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of [my] mother:
4 And he taught me, and said to me, Let thy heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
5 Get wisdom, get understanding. Do not forget, nor decline from the words of my mouth.
and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve thee. Love her, and she will keep thee.
And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing. Get wisdom, yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee. She will bring thee to honor when thou embrace her.
Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honour it, that it may embrace you;
9 She will give to thy head a garland of grace, a crown of beauty she will deliver to thee.
that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be many.
Hear, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of your life shall be increased, that the resources of your life may be many.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom. I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.
12 When thou go, thy steps shall not be restricted. And if thou run, thou shall not stumble.
For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is thy life.
Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
15 Avoid it. Do not pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.
16 For they do not sleep unless they do evil. And their sleep is taken away unless they cause to fall.
For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, that shines more and more to the perfect day.
But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness. They know not at what they stumble.
But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
20 My son, attend to my words. Incline thine ear to my sayings.
[My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes. Keep them in the midst of thy heart.
that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [your] heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.
For they are life to those that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
24 Put away from thee a wayward mouth, and put perverse lips far from thee.
Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].
26 Make the path of thy feet level, and let all thy ways be established.
Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left. Remove thy foot from evil.
Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.
