Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and discover what makes sense,
My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
2 for what I am passing on to you is reliable. Don't reject my teachings.
What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
3 When I was a son with my father—a tender young boy, my mother's only child—
When I was a young boy, loved by 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.
my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
5 Get wisdom, find out what makes sense. Don't forget my words or reject them.
Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
6 Don't give up on wisdom for she will keep you safe. Love wisdom and she will protect you.
Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected [from all evil/danger]. If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.
7 The first thing in becoming wise is to get wisdom! Whatever else you gain, gain insight.
The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.
8 Treasure wisdom, and she will praise you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
If you consider being wise to be very valuable, [people] will think very highly of you. If you cling to wisdom [like you would cling to a woman you love], [many people] will honor you.
9 She will place on your head a wreath of grace; she will present to you a crown of glory.”
If you become wise, that will for you be [like] a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head; it will be [like] a king’s glorious crown.” [That is what my father told me].
10 Listen, my son, if you accept what I tell you, then you will live a long life.
[So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
11 I have explained to you the way of wisdom; I have guided you along the right paths.
I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
12 Nothing will block your way when you walk, you won't stumble when you run.
If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
13 Hold on to these instructions—don't let them go. Protect them, for they are life's foundation.
Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do, and do not let them go. Guard them, because they [will be the source of a good] life.
14 Don't go the way of the wicked or follow the example of those who do evil.
Do not do the things that wicked people do; [do not behave like they do]; do not even walk on the roads that evil [people] walk on [MET].
15 Avoid that way completely. Don't go there! Turn away, and walk on.
Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
16 Evil people won't rest until they've done something wrong; they can't sleep unless they've tripped someone up.
because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed [on that day]. They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
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.
The behavior of good/righteous [people] is like the light [that begins to shine] at dawn and then [continues to] shine brighter until the brightest time of day.
19 But the way of life of the wicked is like complete darkness; they don't even know what they're tripping over.
[But] the behavior of wicked [people] is like deep/thick darkness. [Because it is very dark], they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I tell you; listen to the words I'm saying.
My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
21 Don't lose sight of them; think about them deeply,
Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
22 for they are life to anyone who finds them, and make the whole body healthy.
because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
23 Most of all, protect your mind, for everything in life flows from it.
It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
24 Don't ever lie, and don't say anything dishonest.
Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
25 Focus on what's ahead of you; look at what's in front of you.
Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
26 Pay attention to the path you decide to follow, and you'll be safe wherever you go.
Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
27 Don't deviate to the right or the left, and turn away from evil.
Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right. [Do only what is right] and keep yourself from [doing what is] evil.
