Proverbs 4

1 My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.

2 What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.

3 When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,

4 my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].

5 Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.

6 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 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 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 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 [So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.

11 I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].

12 If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].

13 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 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 Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;

16 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 What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”

18 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 [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, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.

21 Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,

22 because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.

23 It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.

24 Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.

25 Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.

26 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 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.