Proverbs 4
1 Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.
2 For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.
I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of [my] mother:
When I was a son of my father, the tender and only child of my mother,
4 who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and live.
5 and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;
6 And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.
do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.
Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.
8 Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honor it, that it may embrace you;
Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you; she will honor you when you embrace her.
9 that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.
She will put a wreath of honor on your head; she will give you a beautiful crown.”
10 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.
Listen, my son, and pay attention to my words, and you will have many years in your life.
11 For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.
I direct you in the way of wisdom; I lead you down straight paths.
12 For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.
When you walk, no one will stand in your way and if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life.
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it, for it is your life.
14 Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
Do not follow the path of the wicked and do not go along the way of those who do evil.
15 In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.
Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and go another way.
16 For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
For they cannot sleep until they do evil and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone to stumble.
17 For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
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 But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
The way of the wicked is like darkness— they do not know what it is they stumble over.
20 [My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [your] heart.
Do not let them turn away from your eyes; keep them in your heart.
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.
For my words are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.
23 Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.
Put crooked speech away from you and put corrupt talk far from you.
25 Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].
Let your eyes look straight ahead and fix your gaze straight before you.
26 Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.
Make a level path for your foot; then all your ways will be secure.
27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.
Do not turn aside to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
