Proverbs 4

1 Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.

2 For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.

3 For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious 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!

5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.

6 Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.

7 The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.

8 Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, 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.

10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.

11 In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.

12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

13 Take fast hold of correction, 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:

15 Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.

16 For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,

17 For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.

18 But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.

19 The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.

20 My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;

21 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.

23 Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.

24 Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.

25 Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.

26 Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:

27 Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.