Proverbs 4

1 Heare, O ye children, the instruction of a father, and giue eare to learne vnderstanding.

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

2 For I doe giue you a good doctrine: therefore forsake yee not my lawe.

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

3 For I was my fathers sonne, tender and deare in the sight of my mother,

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

4 When he taught me, and sayde vnto me, Let thine heart holde fast my woordes: keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue.

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

5 Get wisedom: get vnderstading: forget not, neither decline from the woordes of my mouth.

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

6 Forsake her not, and shee shall keepe thee: loue her and shee shall preserue thee.

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

7 Wisedome is the beginning: get wisedome therefore: and aboue all thy possession get vnderstanding.

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

8 Exalt her, and she shall exalt thee: she shall bring thee to honour, if thou embrace her.

Exalt her, and she shall promote you: she shall bring you to honour, when you do embrace her.

9 She shall giue a comely ornamet vnto thine head, yea, she shall giue thee a crowne of glorie.

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

10 Heare, my sonne, and receiue my wordes, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe many.

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

11 I haue taught thee in ye way of wisedom, and led thee in the pathes of righteousnesse.

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

12 Whe thou goest, thy gate shall not be strait, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall.

When you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not stumble.

13 Take holde of instruction, and leaue not: keepe her, for shee is thy life.

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

14 Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of euill men.

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

15 Auoide it, and goe not by it: turne from it, and passe by.

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

16 For they can not sleepe, except they haue done euill, and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall.

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

17 For they eate the breade of wickednesse, and drinke the wine of violence.

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

18 But the way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfite day.

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

19 The way of the wicked is as the darkenes: they knowe not wherein they shall fall.

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

20 My sonne, hearken vnto my wordes, incline thine eare vnto my sayings.

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

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes, but keepe them in the middes of thine heart.

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

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

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

23 Keepe thine heart with all diligence: for thereout commeth life.

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

24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and put wicked lippes farre from thee.

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

25 Let thine eyes beholde the right, and let thine eyelids direct thy way before thee.

Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you.

26 Ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy waies be ordred aright.

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

27 Turne not to the right hande, nor to the left, but remooue thy foote from euill.

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