| Prov. 4:1 |
Hear, [my] sons, the instruction of a father, / And be attentive, that you may gain understanding; |
| Prov. 4:2 |
For I give you good teaching; / Do not forsake my instruction. |
| Prov. 4:3 |
For I was a son to my father, / Tender and the only [beloved] in the sight of my mother. |
| Prov. 4:4 |
And he taught me and said to me, / Let your heart hold fast to my words; / Keep my commandments and live; |
| Prov. 4:5 |
Get wisdom; get understanding; / Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. |
| Prov. 4:6 |
Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; / Love her, and she will guard you. |
| Prov. 4:7 |
The beginning of wisdom [is this:] / Get wisdom; and in all your getting, get understanding. |
| Prov. 4:8 |
Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; / She will honor you if you embrace her. |
| Prov. 4:9 |
She will give a garland of grace for your head; / A crown of beauty will she bestow on you. |
| Prov. 4:10 |
Hear, my son, and receive my words, / And the years of your life will be many. |
| Prov. 4:11 |
I have taught you in the way of wisdom; / I have led you in the paths of uprightness. |
| Prov. 4:12 |
When you walk, your steps will not be hindered; / And when you run, you will not stumble. |
| Prov. 4:13 |
Take hold of instruction; do not let go; / Guard her, for she is your life. |
| Prov. 4:14 |
Do not enter the path of the wicked, / And do not walk in the way of the evil. |
| Prov. 4:15 |
Avoid it; do not pass by it; / Turn away from it and pass on by. |
| Prov. 4:16 |
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; / And they are robbed of their sleep unless they cause [someone] to stumble. |
| Prov. 4:17 |
For they eat the bread of wickedness / And drink the wine of violence. |
| Prov. 4:18 |
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, / Which shines brighter and brighter until the full day. |
| Prov. 4:19 |
The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; / They do not know what they stumble over. |
| Prov. 4:20 |
My son, be attentive to my words; / Incline your ear to my sayings. |
| Prov. 4:21 |
Do not let them depart from your sight; / Keep them in the midst of your heart. |
| Prov. 4:22 |
For they are life to those who find them, / And healing to all their flesh. |
| Prov. 4:23 |
Keep your heart with all vigilance, / For from it are the issues of life. |
| Prov. 4:24 |
Put away from you crooked speech, / And put perverse talk far from you. |
| Prov. 4:25 |
Let your eyes look directly ahead, / And let your gaze be straight in front of you. |
| Prov. 4:26 |
Make straight the path of your feet, / And all your ways will be established. |
| Prov. 4:27 |
Do not turn to the right or to the left; / Turn your foot away from evil. |