Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
Listen, sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and discover what makes sense,
2 For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.
for what I am passing on to you is reliable. Don't reject my teachings.
3 For, a son I have been to my father — tender, And an only one before my mother.
When I was a son with my father—a tender young boy, my mother's only child—
4 And he directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
he was the one who taught me. He told me, “Pay attention to the words I say and keep them in mind; do what I tell you and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
Get wisdom, find out what makes sense. Don't forget my words or reject them.
6 Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.
Don't give up on wisdom for she will keep you safe. Love wisdom and she will protect you.
7 The first thing [is] wisdom — get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.
The first thing in becoming wise is to get wisdom! Whatever else you gain, gain insight.
8 Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.
Treasure wisdom, and she will praise you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.
She will place on your head a wreath of grace; she will present to you a crown of glory.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to thee.
Listen, my son, if you accept what I tell you, then you will live a long life.
11 In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.
I have explained to you the way of wisdom; I have guided you along the right paths.
12 In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.
Nothing will block your way when you walk, you won't stumble when you run.
13 Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.
Hold on to these instructions—don't let them go. Protect them, for they are life's foundation.
14 Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.
Don't go the way of the wicked or follow the example of those who do evil.
15 Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
Avoid that way completely. Don't go there! Turn away, and walk on.
16 For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.
Evil people won't rest until they've done something wrong; they can't sleep unless they've tripped someone up.
17 For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,
The way of life of the good is like the light of the sunrise, glowing brighter and brighter until the full light of day shines out.
19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
But the way of life of the wicked is like complete darkness; they don't even know what they're tripping over.
20 My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,
My son, pay attention to what I tell you; listen to the words I'm saying.
21 Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.
Don't lose sight of them; think about them deeply,
22 For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
for they are life to anyone who finds them, and make the whole body healthy.
23 Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
Most of all, protect your mind, for everything in life flows from it.
24 Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,
Don't ever lie, and don't say anything dishonest.
25 Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Focus on what's ahead of you; look at what's in front of you.
26 Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.
Pay attention to the path you decide to follow, and you'll be safe wherever you go.
27 Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!
Don't deviate to the right or the left, and turn away from evil.
