Proverbs 4
1 Hear, you sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
2 For I have given to you good learning, do not forsake my law.
What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
3 For I have been a son to my father—tender, And an only one before my mother.
When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
4 And he directs me, and he says to me: “Let your heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
5 Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
6 Do not forsake her, and she preserves you, Love her, and she keeps you.
Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected [from all evil/danger]. If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.
7 The first thing [is] wisdom—get wisdom, And with all your getting get understanding.
The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.
8 Exalt her and she lifts you up, She honors you when you embrace her.
If you consider being wise to be very valuable, [people] will think very highly of you. If you cling to wisdom [like you would cling to a woman you love], [many people] will honor you.
9 She gives a wreath of grace to your head, She gives you a crown of beauty freely.”
If you become wise, that will for you be [like] a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head; it will be [like] a king’s glorious crown.” [That is what my father told me].
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to you.
[So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
11 I have directed you in a way of wisdom, I have caused you to tread in paths of uprightness.
I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
12 In your walking your step is not restricted, And if you run, you do not stumble.
If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
13 Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] your life.
Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do, and do not let them go. Guard them, because they [will be the source of a good] life.
14 Do not enter into the path of the wicked, And do not be blessed in a way of evildoers.
Do not do the things that wicked people do; [do not behave like they do]; do not even walk on the roads that evil [people] walk on [MET].
15 Avoid it, do not pass over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
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.
because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed [on that day]. They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.
17 For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And they drink wine of violence.
What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
18 And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening until the day is established,
The behavior of good/righteous [people] is like the light [that begins to shine] at dawn and then [continues to] shine brighter until the brightest time of day.
19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
[But] the behavior of wicked [people] is like deep/thick darkness. [Because it is very dark], they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.
20 My son, give attention to my words, Incline your ear to my sayings,
My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
21 Do not let them turn aside from your eyes, Preserve them in the midst of your heart.
Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
22 For they [are] life to those finding them, And healing to all their flesh.
because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
23 Above every charge keep your heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
24 Turn aside a contrary mouth from you, And put perverse lips far from you,
Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
25 Your eyes look straightforward, And your eyelids look straight before you.
Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
26 Ponder the path of your feet, And all your ways [are] established.
Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
27 Do not incline [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside your foot from evil!
Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right. [Do only what is right] and keep yourself from [doing what is] evil.
