Proverbs 4

1 Hear, ye 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 good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.

For I give you good doctrine, forsake all of you not my law.

3 For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother.

For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

4 And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;

He taught me also, and said unto me, Let your heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

5 Get wisdom, get understanding; forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;

Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; love her, and she will keep thee.

Forsake her not, and she shall preserve you: love her, and she shall keep you.

7 The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting get understanding.

8 Extol her, and she will exalt thee; she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

Exalt her, and she shall promote you: she shall bring you to honour, when you do embrace her.

9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee.'

She shall give to your head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to you.

10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall be many.

11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.

I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.

12 When thou goest, thy step shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

When you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not stumble.

13 Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.

Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is your life.

14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

15 Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.

Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

16 For they sleep not, except they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

18 But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day.

19 The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.

The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

My son, attend to my words; incline your ear unto my sayings.

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.

Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.

22 For they are life unto 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 Above all that thou guardest keep thy heart; for out of it are the issues of life.

Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

Put away from you a perverse mouth, and perverse lips put far from you.

25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you.

26 Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.

27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.

Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove your foot from evil.