Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, And attend, that ye may learn understanding!
2 For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
For I give you good instruction; Forsake ye not my commandments.
3 For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.
For I was my father's son, A tender and only child in the sight of my mother.
4 So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
He taught me, and said to me, Let thy heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments, and live.
5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, and depart not from, the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
Forsake her not, and she will guard thee: Love her, and she will preserve thee.
7 The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore gain wisdom, And with all thy gain, gain understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her;
9 She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
She will give to thy head a graceful wreath, A beautiful crown will she bestow upon thee.
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
Hear, O my son! and receive my sayings! So shall the years of thy life be many.
11 In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
I have taught thee the way of wisdom, I have guided thee in the right path.
12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be confined; And, when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go; Keep her, for she is thy life.
14 Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
Enter not into the path of the wicked, And go not in the way of evil men;
15 Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
Avoid it, pass not upon it, Turn from it, and go away.
16 For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
For they sleep not, unless they have done mischief; Yea, their sleep is taken away, unless they have caused some to fall.
17 For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.
18 But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, Which groweth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
The way of the wicked is as thick darkness; They know not at what they stumble.
20 My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear to my sayings;
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart;
Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart!
22 For, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
23 Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.
More than any thing which thou watchest, watch thy heart; For from it goeth forth life.
24 Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
Put away from thee a deceitful mouth, And remove far from thee perverse lips.
25 Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
Let thine eyes look straight forward, And thine eyelids be directed before thee.
26 Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
Give heed to the path of thy foot, And let all thy ways be steadfast.
27 Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
Turn not to the right hand or to the left; Remove thy foot from evil.
