Proverbs 4

1 Hear, ye children, the correction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

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

2 For good information do I give you: my teaching must ye not forsake.

For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

3 For I was a son unto my father, a tender and an only child before my mother.

For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

4 And he instructed me, and said unto me, Let thy heart grasp firmly my words: observe my commandments and live.

He taught me also, and said to me, Let thy heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding: forget not, and depart not from the sayings of my mouth.

Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

6 Forsake her not, and she will watch over thee: love her, and she will keep thee.

Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

7 The beginning of wisdom is, Acquire wisdom: and with all thy acquisition acquire understanding.

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

8 Hold her in high esteem, and she will exalt thee: she will bring thee to honor, when thou embracest her.

Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

9 She will give to thy head a wreath of grace: a crown of ornament will she deliver to thee.

She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

10 Hear, O my son, and accept my sayings: and they will increase unto thee the years of life.

Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

11 In the way of wisdom have I instructed thee: I have led thee in the tracks of uprightness.

I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be narrowed; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

When thou goest, thy steps shall not be hindered; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

13 Lay fast hold of correction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and step not on the way of the bad.

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

15 Avoid it, pass not through by it, turn off from it, and pass away.

Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

16 For they sleep not, except they have done evil, and their sleep is robbed away, unless they cause some to stumble.

For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

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

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

18 But the path of the righteous is as the early morning light, that shineth more and more brightly until the height of noonday.

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day.

19 The way of the wicked is like darkness: they know not against what they stumble.

The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

20 My son, attend to my words, unto my sayings incline thy ear.

My son, attend to my words; incline thy ear to my sayings.

21 Let them not slip away from thy eyes: guard them in the midst of thy heart.

Let them not depart from thy eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.

22 For they are life unto every one of those that find them, and to all his body a healing.

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

23 Above all that is to be guarded, keep thy heart, for out of it are the issues of life.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

24 Remove from thee frowardness of mouth; and perverseness of lips put away far from thee.

Put away from thee a perverse mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

25 Let thy eyes look right forward, and let thy eyelids see straight out before thee.

Let thy eyes look right on, and let thy eyelids look straight before thee.

26 Balance well the track of thy foot, and let all thy ways be firmly right.

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.