Proverbs 4

1 Hear, you sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.

Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:

2 For I have given to you good learning, do not forsake my law.

For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.

3 For I have been a son to my father—tender, And an only one before my mother.

For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.

4 And he directs me, and he says to me: “Let your heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.

And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:

5 Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.

Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.

6 Do not forsake her, and she preserves you, Love her, and she keeps you.

Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.

7 The first thing [is] wisdom—get wisdom, And with all your getting get understanding.

The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.

8 Exalt her and she lifts you up, She honors you when you embrace her.

Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love.

9 She gives a wreath of grace to your head, She gives you a crown of beauty freely.”

She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory.

10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to you.

Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.

11 I have directed you in a way of wisdom, I have caused you to tread in paths of uprightness.

I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.

12 In your walking your step is not restricted, And if you run, you do not stumble.

When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.

13 Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] your life.

Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.

14 Do not enter into the path of the wicked, And do not be blessed in a way of evildoers.

Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.

15 Avoid it, do not pass over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.

Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.

16 For they do not sleep if they do no evil, And their sleep has been taken away violently, If they do not cause [some] to stumble.

For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall.

17 For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And they drink wine of violence.

The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.

18 And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening until the day is established,

But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.

19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.

The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.

20 My son, give attention to my words, Incline your ear to my sayings,

My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.

21 Do not let them turn aside from your eyes, Preserve them in the midst of your heart.

Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.

22 For they [are] life to those finding them, And healing to all their flesh.

For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.

23 Above every charge keep your heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.

And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.

24 Turn aside a contrary mouth from you, And put perverse lips far from you,

Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you.

25 Your eyes look straightforward, And your eyelids look straight before you.

Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you.

26 Ponder the path of your feet, And all your ways [are] established.

Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.

27 Do not incline [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside your foot from evil!

Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.