Proverbs 4
1 Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:
2 For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.
For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.
3 For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of [my] mother:
For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.
4 who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:
5 and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.
6 And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.
Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.
The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.
8 Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honour it, that it may embrace you;
Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love.
9 that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.
She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory.
10 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.
Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.
11 For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.
I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.
12 For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.
When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.
13 Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life.
Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.
14 Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.
15 In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.
Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.
16 For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall.
17 For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.
18 But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.
19 But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.
20 [My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:
My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.
21 that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [your] heart.
Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.
For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.
23 Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.
24 Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.
Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you.
25 Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].
Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you.
26 Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.
Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.
27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.
Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.
