Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
3 For I was my father’s son, tender and only [beloved] in the sight of my mother.
For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
7 Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let [her] not go: keep her; for she [is] thy life.
Take fast hold of correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil [men].
Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause [some] to fall.
For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
18 But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart;
22 For they [are] life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
For, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.
Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
