Proverbs 4

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

Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

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

for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

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

For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child 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].

He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

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

Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words 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.

Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will 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.

Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

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.

Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.

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].

She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”

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

Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.

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

I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.

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

When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.

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 firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is 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].

Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.

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

Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

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 don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.

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

For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

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 path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect 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.

The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.

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

My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

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

Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of 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 who find them, and health to their whole body.

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 all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.

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

Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.

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

Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.

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 the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.

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.

Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.