Proverbs 4:9-19 New American Standard Bible

⁹She will place ^(A)on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

¹⁰Listen, my son, and ^(B)accept my sayings,
And the ^(C)years of your life will be many.
¹¹I have ^(D)instructed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.
¹²When you walk, your ^(E)steps will not be hampered;
And if you run, you ^(F)will not stumble.
¹³^(G)Take hold of instruction; do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your ^(H)life.
¹⁴^(I)Do not enter the path of the wicked
And do not proceed in the way of evil people.
¹⁵Avoid it, do not pass by it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
¹⁶For they ^(J)cannot sleep unless they do evil;
And ^[a]they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
¹⁷For they ^(K)eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.
¹⁸But the ^(L)path of the righteous is like the ^(M)light of dawn
That ^(N)shines brighter and brighter until the ^(O)full day.
¹⁹The ^(P)way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know over what they ^[b]^(Q)stumble.