Proverbs 4

1 My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.

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

2 What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.

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

3 When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,

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

4 my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].

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

5 Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.

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

6 Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected [from all evil/danger]. If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.

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

7 The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.

Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.

8 If you consider being wise to be very valuable, [people] will think very highly of you. If you cling to wisdom [like you would cling to a woman you love], [many people] will honor you.

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

9 If you become wise, that will for you be [like] a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head; it will be [like] a king’s glorious crown.” [That is what my father told me].

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

10 [So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.

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

11 I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].

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

12 If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].

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

13 Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do, and do not let them go. Guard them, because they [will be the source of a good] life.

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

14 Do not do the things that wicked people do; [do not behave like they do]; do not even walk on the roads that evil [people] walk on [MET].

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

15 Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;

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

16 because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed [on that day]. They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.

For they cannot sleep until they do evil and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone to stumble.

17 What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”

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

18 The behavior of good/righteous [people] is like the light [that begins to shine] at dawn and then [continues to] shine brighter until the brightest time of 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 [But] the behavior of wicked [people] is like deep/thick darkness. [Because it is very dark], they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.

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

20 My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.

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

21 Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,

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

22 because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.

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

23 It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.

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

24 Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.

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

25 Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.

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

26 Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.

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

27 Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right. [Do only what is right] and keep yourself from [doing what is] evil.

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