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