Proverbs 4

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

Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

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

For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.

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

For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of [my] mother:

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

who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:

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

and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.

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.

And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep 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.

Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honor it, that it may embrace 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].

that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.

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

Hear, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of your life shall be increased, that the resources of your life may be many.

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

For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.

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

For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.

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.

Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your 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].

Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.

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

In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.

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.

For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.

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

For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.

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.

But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.

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.

But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.

20 My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.

[My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:

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

that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [your] heart.

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

For they are life to those that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.

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

Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.

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

Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.

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

Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].

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.

Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.

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.

Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.