Proverbs 4

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

Listen, sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and discover what makes sense,

2 For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.

for what I am passing on to you is reliable. Don't reject my teachings.

3 For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother.

When I was a son with my father—a tender young boy, my mother's only child—

4 And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;

he was the one who taught me. He told me, “Pay attention to the words I say and keep them in mind; do what I tell you and you will live.

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

Get wisdom, find out what makes sense. Don't forget my words or reject them.

6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; love her, and she will keep thee.

Don't give up on wisdom for she will keep you safe. Love wisdom and she will protect you.

7 The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.

The first thing in becoming wise is to get wisdom! Whatever else you gain, gain insight.

8 Extol her, and she will exalt thee; she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

Treasure wisdom, and she will praise you; embrace her, and she will honor you.

9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee.'

She will place on your head a wreath of grace; she will present to you a crown of glory.”

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

Listen, my son, if you accept what I tell you, then you will live a long life.

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

I have explained to you the way of wisdom; I have guided you along the right paths.

12 When thou goest, thy step shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

Nothing will block your way when you walk, you won't stumble when you run.

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

Hold on to these instructions—don't let them go. Protect them, for they are life's foundation.

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

Don't go the way of the wicked or follow the example of those who do evil.

15 Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.

Avoid that way completely. Don't go there! Turn away, and walk on.

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

Evil people won't rest until they've done something wrong; they can't sleep unless they've tripped someone up.

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

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

18 But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

The way of life of the good is like the light of the sunrise, glowing brighter and brighter until the full light of day shines out.

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

But the way of life of the wicked is like complete darkness; they don't even know what they're tripping over.

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

My son, pay attention to what I tell you; listen to the words I'm saying.

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

Don't lose sight of them; think about them deeply,

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

for they are life to anyone who finds them, and make the whole body healthy.

23 Above all that thou guardest keep thy heart; for out of it are the issues of life.

Most of all, protect your mind, for everything in life flows from it.

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

Don't ever lie, and don't say anything dishonest.

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

Focus on what's ahead of you; look at what's in front of you.

26 Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Pay attention to the path you decide to follow, and you'll be safe wherever you go.

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

Don't deviate to the right or the left, and turn away from evil.