Proverbs 4

1 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

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

2 for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.

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

For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of [my] mother:

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

who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:

5 Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.

and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.

6 Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.

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

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

Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honour it, that it may embrace you;

9 She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendour to you.”

that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.

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

Hear, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of your life shall be increased, that the resources of your life may be many.

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

For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.

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

For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.

13 Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.

Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life.

14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.

Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.

15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.

16 For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.

For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.

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

For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.

18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.

But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.

19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.

But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.

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

[My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:

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

that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [your] heart.

22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.

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

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

Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.

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

Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.

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

Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].

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

Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.

27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.

Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.