Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.
2 for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
When I was a son of my father, the tender and only child of my mother,
4 He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and live.
5 Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;
6 Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.
7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honour when you embrace her.
Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you; she will honor you when you embrace her.
9 She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendour to you.”
She will put a wreath of honor on your head; she will give you a beautiful crown.”
10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
Listen, my son, and pay attention to my words, and you will have many years in your life.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
I direct you in the way of wisdom; I lead you down straight paths.
12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
When you walk, no one will stand in your way and if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it, for it is your life.
14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
Do not follow the path of the wicked and do not go along the way of those who do evil.
15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and go another way.
16 For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
For they cannot sleep until they do evil and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone to stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
But the path of righteous people is like the first light that grows brighter; it shines more and more until the fullness of the day comes.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
The way of the wicked is like darkness— they do not know what it is they stumble over.
20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the centre of your heart.
Do not let them turn away from your eyes; keep them in your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
For my words are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
Put crooked speech away from you and put corrupt talk far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
Let your eyes look straight ahead and fix your gaze straight before you.
26 Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
Make a level path for your foot; then all your ways will be secure.
27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
Do not turn aside to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
