Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Hear, you sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine. Forsake ye not my law.
For I have given to you good learning, do not forsake my law.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
For I have been a son to my father—tender, And an only one before my mother.
4 And he taught me, and said to me, Let thy heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
And he directs me, and he says to me: “Let your heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding. Do not forget, nor decline from the words of my mouth.
Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve thee. Love her, and she will keep thee.
Do not forsake her, and she preserves you, Love her, and she keeps you.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing. Get wisdom, yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
The first thing [is] wisdom—get wisdom, And with all your getting get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee. She will bring thee to honor when thou embrace her.
Exalt her and she lifts you up, She honors you when you embrace her.
9 She will give to thy head a garland of grace, a crown of beauty she will deliver to thee.
She gives a wreath of grace to your head, She gives you a crown of beauty freely.”
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be many.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to you.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom. I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
I have directed you in a way of wisdom, I have caused you to tread in paths of uprightness.
12 When thou go, thy steps shall not be restricted. And if thou run, thou shall not stumble.
In your walking your step is not restricted, And if you run, you do not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is thy life.
Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] your life.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
Do not enter into the path of the wicked, And do not be blessed in a way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it. Do not pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Avoid it, do not pass over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
16 For they do not sleep unless they do evil. And their sleep is taken away unless they cause to fall.
For they do not sleep if they do no evil, And their sleep has been taken away violently, If they do not cause [some] to stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And they drink wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, that shines more and more to the perfect day.
And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening until the day is established,
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness. They know not at what they stumble.
The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
20 My son, attend to my words. Incline thine ear to my sayings.
My son, give 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 let them turn aside from your eyes, Preserve them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.
For they [are] life to those finding them, And healing to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
Above every charge keep your heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
24 Put away from thee a wayward mouth, and put perverse lips far from thee.
Turn aside a contrary mouth from you, And put perverse lips far from you,
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Your eyes look straightforward, And your eyelids look straight before you.
26 Make the path of thy feet level, and let all thy ways be established.
Ponder the path of your feet, And all your ways [are] established.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left. Remove thy foot from evil.
Do not incline [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside your foot from evil!
