Proverbs 4
1 Hear, you sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
2 For I have given to you good learning, do not forsake my law.
for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
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, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
4 And he directs me, and he says to me: “Let your heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she preserves you, Love her, and she keeps you.
Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
7 The first thing [is] wisdom—get wisdom, And with all your getting get understanding.
Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8 Exalt her and she lifts you up, She honors you when you embrace her.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honour when you embrace her.
9 She gives a wreath of grace to your head, She gives you a crown of beauty freely.”
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 sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to you.
Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
11 I have directed you in a way of wisdom, I have caused you to tread in paths of uprightness.
I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
12 In your walking your step is not restricted, And if you run, you do not stumble.
When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
13 Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] your life.
Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t 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.
Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not pass over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
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 don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
17 For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And they drink wine of violence.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening until the day is established,
But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
20 My son, give attention to my words, Incline your ear to my sayings,
My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them turn aside from your eyes, Preserve them in the midst of your heart.
Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the centre of your heart.
22 For they [are] life to those finding them, And healing to all their flesh.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
23 Above every charge keep your heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24 Turn aside a contrary mouth from you, And put perverse lips far from you,
Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
25 Your eyes look straightforward, And your eyelids look straight before you.
Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet, And all your ways [are] established.
Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
27 Do not incline [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside your foot from evil!
Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
