Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and discover what makes sense,
Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
2 for what I am passing on to you is reliable. Don't reject my teachings.
For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.
3 When I was a son with my father—a tender young boy, my mother's only child—
For, a son I have been to my father — tender, And an only one before 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.
And he directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
5 Get wisdom, find out what makes sense. Don't forget my words or reject them.
Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
6 Don't give up on wisdom for she will keep you safe. Love wisdom and she will protect you.
Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.
7 The first thing in becoming wise is to get wisdom! Whatever else you gain, gain insight.
The first thing [is] wisdom — get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Treasure wisdom, and she will praise you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.
9 She will place on your head a wreath of grace; she will present to you a crown of glory.”
She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.
10 Listen, my son, if you accept what I tell you, then you will live a long life.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to thee.
11 I have explained to you the way of wisdom; I have guided you along the right paths.
In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.
12 Nothing will block your way when you walk, you won't stumble when you run.
In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.
13 Hold on to these instructions—don't let them go. Protect them, for they are life's foundation.
Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.
14 Don't go the way of the wicked or follow the example of those who do evil.
Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.
15 Avoid that way completely. Don't go there! Turn away, and walk on.
Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside 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 sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.
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.
And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,
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] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I tell you; listen to the words I'm saying.
My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,
21 Don't lose sight of them; think about them deeply,
Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.
22 for they are life to anyone who finds them, and make the whole body healthy.
For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
23 Most of all, protect your mind, for everything in life flows from it.
Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
24 Don't ever lie, and don't say anything dishonest.
Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,
25 Focus on what's ahead of you; look at what's in front of you.
Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Pay attention to the path you decide to follow, and you'll be safe wherever you go.
Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.
27 Don't deviate to the right or the left, and turn away from evil.
Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!
