Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.
2 For I give you good doctrine. Forsake ye not my law.
I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
When I was a son of my father, the tender and 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 to me, “Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding. Do not forget, nor decline from the words of my mouth.
Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve thee. Love her, and she will keep thee.
do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing. Get wisdom, yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee. She will bring thee to honor when thou embrace her.
Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you; she will honor 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 will put a wreath of honor on your head; she will give you a beautiful crown.”
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be many.
Listen, my son, and pay attention to my words, and you will have many years in your life.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom. I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
I direct you in the way of wisdom; I lead you down straight paths.
12 When thou go, thy steps shall not be restricted. And if thou run, thou shall not stumble.
When you walk, no one will stand in your way and if 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 it 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 follow the path of the wicked and do not go along the way of those who do evil.
15 Avoid it. Do not pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and go another way.
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 until they do evil and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone to stumble.
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.
But the path of righteous people is like the first light that grows brighter; it shines more and more until the fullness of the day comes.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness. They know not at what they stumble.
The way of the wicked is like darkness— they do not know what it is they stumble over.
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 let them turn away from your eyes; keep them in your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.
For my words are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from thee a wayward mouth, and put perverse lips far from thee.
Put crooked speech away from you and put corrupt talk far from you.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Let your eyes look straight ahead and fix your gaze straight before you.
26 Make the path of thy feet level, and let all thy ways be established.
Make a level path for your foot; then all your ways will be secure.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left. Remove thy foot from evil.
Do not turn aside to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
