Proverbs 4

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

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, And attend, that ye may learn understanding!

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

For I give you good instruction; Forsake ye not my commandments.

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

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

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

He taught me, and said to me, Let thy heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments, and live.

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

Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, and depart not from, the words of my mouth.

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

Forsake her not, and she will guard thee: Love her, and she will preserve thee.

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

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore gain wisdom, And with all thy gain, gain understanding.

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

Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her;

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

She will give to thy head a graceful wreath, A beautiful crown will she bestow upon thee.

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

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

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

I have taught thee the way of wisdom, I have guided thee in the right path.

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

When thou goest, thy steps shall not be confined; And, when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

13 Take fast hold of instruction, 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 walk not in the way of evil men.

Enter not into the path of the wicked, And go not in the way of evil men;

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

Avoid it, pass not upon it, Turn from it, and go away.

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

For they sleep not, unless they have done mischief; Yea, their sleep is taken away, unless they have caused some to fall.

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.

But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, Which groweth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.

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

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

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

My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear to my sayings;

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

Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart!

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

For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.

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

More than any thing which thou watchest, watch thy heart; For from it goeth forth life.

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

Put away from thee a deceitful mouth, And remove far from thee perverse lips.

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

Let thine eyes look straight forward, And thine eyelids be directed before thee.

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

Give heed to the path of thy foot, And let all thy ways be steadfast.

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

Turn not to the right hand or to the left; Remove thy foot from evil.