Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and discover what makes sense,
Sh'ma ·Hear obey·, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
2 for what I am passing on to you is reliable. Don't reject my teachings.
for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my Torah ·Teaching·.
3 When I was a son with my father—a tender young boy, my mother's only child—
For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
4 he was the one who taught me. He told me, “Pay attention to the words I say and keep them in mind; do what I tell you and you will live.
He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my mitzvot ·instructions·, and live.
5 Get wisdom, find out what makes sense. Don't forget my words or reject them.
Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.
6 Don't give up on wisdom for she will keep you safe. Love wisdom and she will protect you.
Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. 'Ahav ·Affectionately love· her, and she will keep you.
7 The first thing in becoming wise is to get wisdom! Whatever else you gain, gain insight.
Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8 Treasure wisdom, and she will praise you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head a wreath of grace; she will present to you a crown of glory.”
She will give to your head a garland of chen ·grace·. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”
10 Listen, my son, if you accept what I tell you, then you will live a long life.
Sh'ma ·Hear obey·, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
11 I have explained to you the way of wisdom; I have guided you along the right paths.
I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
12 Nothing will block your way when you walk, you won't stumble when you run.
When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to these instructions—don't let them go. Protect them, for they are life's foundation.
Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
14 Don't go the way of the wicked or follow the example of those who do evil.
Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid that way completely. Don't go there! Turn away, and walk on.
Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
16 Evil people won't rest until they've done something wrong; they can't sleep unless they've tripped someone up.
For they don’t sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
For they eat the bread of ethical wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 The way of life of the good is like the light of the sunrise, glowing brighter and brighter until the full light of day shines out.
But the path of the upright is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.
19 But the way of life of the wicked is like complete darkness; they don't even know what they're tripping over.
The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
20 My son, pay attention to what I tell you; listen to the words I'm saying.
My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
21 Don't lose sight of them; think about them deeply,
Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.
22 for they are life to anyone who finds them, and make the whole body healthy.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
23 Most of all, protect your mind, for everything in life flows from it.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24 Don't ever lie, and don't say anything dishonest.
Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
25 Focus on what's ahead of you; look at what's in front of you.
Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Pay attention to the path you decide to follow, and you'll be safe wherever you go.
Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
27 Don't deviate to the right or the left, and turn away from evil.
Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
