Proverbs 4

1 Listen to O children [the] correction of a father and be attentive to know understanding.

Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.

2 For instruction good I give to you instruction my may not you neglect.

I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.

3 If a son I was of father my tender and only [child] before mother my.

When I was a son of my father, the tender and only child of my mother,

4 And he taught me and he said to me let it hold fast to words my heart your keep commandments my and live.

he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and live.

5 Acquire wisdom acquire understanding may not you forget and may not you turn aside from [the] utterances of mouth my.

Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;

6 May not you abandon her and she will keep you love her and she will guard you.

do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.

7 [is] first Wisdom acquire wisdom and by all acquisition your acquire 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 honor you if you will embrace her.

Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you; she will honor you when you embrace her.

9 She will put to head your a wreath of grace a crown of beauty she will give you.

She will put a wreath of honor on your head; she will give you a beautiful crown.”

10 Listen O son my and receive words my so they may increase for you years of life.

Listen, my son, and pay attention to my words, and you will have many years in your life.

11 [the] way of Wisdom I taught you I led you in tracks of uprightness.

I direct you in the way of wisdom; I lead you down straight paths.

12 When walking you not anyone will hinder step[s] your and if you will run not you will stumble.

When you walk, no one will stand in your way and if you run, you will not stumble.

13 Take hold on discipline may not you let go keep her for she [is] life your.

Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it, for it is your life.

14 In [the] path of wicked [people] may not you go and may not you advance in [the] way of evil [people].

Do not follow the path of the wicked and do not go along the way of those who do evil.

15 Avoid it may not you pass along on it turn aside from on it and pass on.

Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and go another way.

16 For not they will sleep if not they do harm and it is taken away sleep their if not (they bring injury. *QK)

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 [the] wine of violence they drink.

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

18 And [the] path of righteous [people] [is] like a light of brightness [which] goes and [which] shines until [the] established [part] of the 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 Wicked [people] [is] like darkness not they know on what? are they stumbling.

The way of the wicked is like darkness— they do not know what it is they stumble over.

20 O son my to words my be attentive! to utterances my incline ear your.

My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.

21 Do not let them depart from eyes your keep them in [the] midst of heart your.

Do not let them turn away from your eyes; keep them in your heart.

22 For [are] life they to [those who] find them and to all flesh his health.

For my words are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.

23 More than all guarding guard heart your for [are] from it [the] sources of life.

Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.

24 Remove from yourself crookedness of mouth and deviousness of lips put far away from yourself.

Put crooked speech away from you and put corrupt talk far from you.

25 Eyes your before let them look and eyelids your let them look straight before you.

Let your eyes look straight ahead and fix your gaze straight before you.

26 Make level [the] track of foot your and all ways your let them be steadfast.

Make a level path for your foot; then all your ways will be secure.

27 May not you turn aside right and left turn aside foot your from evil.

Do not turn aside to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.