Proverbs 4
1 Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
2 For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.
for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
3 For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of [my] mother:
For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
4 who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
5 and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
6 And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.
Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8 Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honor it, that it may embrace you;
Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honour when you embrace her.
9 that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.
She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendour to you.”
10 Hear, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of your life shall be increased, that the resources of your life may be many.
Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
11 For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.
I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
12 For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.
When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life.
Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
14 Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15 In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.
Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
16 For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
17 For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
19 But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
20 [My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:
My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
21 that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [your] heart.
Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the centre of your heart.
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
23 Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24 Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.
Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].
Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.
Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.
Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
