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 know understanding;

2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

for I give you sound learning. Do not forsake my law.

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

For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

4 He taught me also, and said to me, Let thy heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

He taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

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

Get wisdom. Get understanding. Do not forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.

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

Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

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

Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her.

9 She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you."

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

Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.

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

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

12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be hindered; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.

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

Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.

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

Do not enter into the path of the wicked. Do not walk in the way of evil men.

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

Avoid it, and do not pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

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

For they do not sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone 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 just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day.

But the path of the righteous is like a shining light, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.

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

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

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

My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

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

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

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

For they are life to him who finds them, and health to all of his body.

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

Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.

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

Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.

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

Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.

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

Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.

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

Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.