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14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked.
    Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it.
    Turn from it, and pass on.
16 For they don’t 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.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light
    that shines more and more until the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness.
    They don’t know what they stumble over.

20 My son, attend to my words.
    Turn your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes.
    Keep them in the center of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
    and health to their whole body.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
    for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth.
    Put corrupt lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead.
    Fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make the path of your feet level.
    Let all of your ways be established.
27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left.
    Remove your foot from evil.

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14 (A)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15 Avoid it; do not go on it;
    turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they (B)cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
    they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
    (C)and drink the wine of violence.
18 But (D)the path of the righteous is like (E)the light of dawn,
    which shines (F)brighter and brighter until (G)full day.
19 (H)The way of the wicked is like deep (I)darkness;
    they do not know over what they (J)stumble.

20 (K)My son, be attentive to my words;
    incline your ear to my sayings.
21 (L)Let them not escape from your sight;
    (M)keep them within your heart.
22 For they are (N)life to those who find them,
    and healing to all their[a] flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for (O)from it flow (P)the springs of life.
24 Put away from you (Q)crooked speech,
    and put (R)devious talk far from you.
25 (S)Let your eyes look directly forward,
    and your gaze be straight before you.
26 (T)Ponder[b] the path of your feet;
    (U)then all your ways will be sure.
27 (V)Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
    turn your foot away from evil.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:22 Hebrew his
  2. Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level