Proverbs 4
Christian Standard Bible
A Father’s Example
4 Listen, sons, to a father’s discipline,(A)
and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,
2 for I am giving you good instruction.(B)
Don’t abandon my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father,
tender and precious to my mother,
4 he taught me and said,
“Your heart must hold on to my words.
Keep my commands and live.(C)
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;(D)
don’t forget or turn away from the words from my mouth.
6 Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you;
love her,(E) and she will guard you.
7 Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom.
And whatever else you get, get understanding.(F)
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
if you embrace her, she will honor you.(G)
9 She will place a garland of favor on your head;
she will give you a crown of beauty.”(H)
Two Ways of Life
10 Listen, my son. Accept my words,(I)
and you will live many years.(J)
11 I am teaching you the way of wisdom;
I am guiding you on straight paths.(K)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered;(L)
when you run, you will not stumble.(M)
13 Hold on to instruction; don’t let go.(N)
Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Keep off the path of the wicked;(O)
don’t proceed on the way of evil ones.
15 Avoid it; don’t travel on it.
Turn away from it, and pass it by.
16 For they can’t sleep
unless they have done what is evil;
they are robbed of sleep
unless they make someone stumble.(P)
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,(Q)
shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19 But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;(R)
they don’t know what makes them stumble.(S)
The Straight Path
20 My son, pay attention to my words;
listen closely to my sayings.(T)
21 Don’t lose sight of them;(U)
keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
and health to one’s whole body.
23 Guard your heart above all else,[a]
for it is the source of life.(V)
24 Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly,(W)
and don’t let your lips talk deviously.
25 Let your eyes look forward;
fix your gaze[b] straight ahead.(X)
26 Carefully consider the path[c] for your feet,(Y)
and all your ways will be established.
27 Don’t turn to the right or to the left;(Z)
keep your feet away from evil.
Proverbs 4
International Standard Version
Diligently Pursue Wisdom
4 Listen, children,[a] to your father’s instruction,
and pay attention in order to gain understanding.
2 I give you sound teaching,
so do not abandon my instruction.[b]
3 When I was a son to my father,
not yet strong[c] and an only son to my mother,
4 he taught me and told me,
“Let your heart fully embrace what I have to say;[d]
keep my commandments and live!
5 Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget or turn aside from the words of my mouth!
6 Do not abandon her, and she will protect you.
Love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is of utmost importance, therefore get wisdom,
and with all your effort work to acquire understanding.
8 Prize her and she will exalt you.
Indeed, if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9 She will place on your head a graceful garland;
she will present to you a crown of beauty.”
10 Listen, my son: accept my words,
and you’ll live a long, long time.[e]
11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom,
and I have led you along straight[f] paths.
12 When you walk, your step will not be hindered,
and when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go!
Guard wisdom,[g] because she is your life!
Avoiding the Ways of the Wicked
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
or go along the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it! Don’t travel on it!
Turn away from it, and pass on by.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they are doing evil,
and they are robbed of their sleep unless they cause someone to stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,
and they drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn
that grows brighter until the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness,
and they do not know what they are stumbling over.
Remembering the Counsel of a Wise Father
20 My son, pay attention to my words,
and listen closely[h] to what I say.
21 Do not let them out of your sight;
keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.[i]
23 Above everything else[j] guard your heart,
because from it flow the springs of life.
24 Never talk deceptively
and don’t keep company with people whose speech is corrupt.[k]
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead;
fix your gaze straight in front of you.
26 Carefully measure[l] the paths for your feet,
and all your ways will be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:1 Lit. sons
- Proverbs 4:2 Or law
- Proverbs 4:3 Lit. delicate
- Proverbs 4:4 Lit. embrace my words
- Proverbs 4:10 Lit. and the years of your life will be many
- Proverbs 4:11 Or upright
- Proverbs 4:13 Lit. her
- Proverbs 4:20 Lit. turn your ear
- Proverbs 4:22 Lit. flesh
- Proverbs 4:23 Lit. Above all watching
- Proverbs 4:24 Lit. keep corrupt lips far from you
- Proverbs 4:26 Lit. Weigh
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