Proverbs 4
1 Hear, all of you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake all of you not my law.
For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let your heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve you: love her, and she shall keep you.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting get understanding.
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote you: she shall bring you to honour, when you do embrace her.
Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9 She shall give to your head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to you.
She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall be many.
Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.
I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
12 When you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not stumble.
When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is your life.
Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone 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 just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day.
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline your ear unto my sayings.
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.
Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
24 Put away from you a perverse mouth, and perverse lips put far from you.
Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
25 Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you.
Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
26 Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.
Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove your foot from evil.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
