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Proverbs 4
Legacy Standard Bible
Proverbs 4
Legacy Standard Bible
A Father’s Wise Instruction
4 Hear, O sons, the (A)discipline of a father,
And (B)pay attention that you may know understanding,
2 For I give you [a]sound (C)learning;
(D)Do not forsake my [b]instruction.
3 When I was a son to my father,
(E)Tender and (F)the only son before my mother,
4 Then he (G)instructed me and said to me,
“Let your heart (H)hold fast my words;
(I)Keep my commandments and live;
5 (J)Acquire wisdom! (K)Acquire understanding!
Do not forget and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
(L)Love her, and she will guard you.
7 [c](M)The beginning of wisdom is: (N)Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, acquire understanding.
8 (O)Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will give (P)for your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10 Hear, my son, and (Q)receive my sayings
And the (R)years of your life will be many.
11 I have (S)instructed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright tracks.
12 When you walk, your (T)steps will not be impeded;
And if you run, you (U)will not stumble.
13 (V)Seize discipline; do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your (W)life.
14 (X)Do not enter the path of wicked men
And do not step into the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not pass by it;
(Y)Stray from it and pass on.
16 For they (Z)do not sleep unless they do evil;
And [d]they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
17 For they (AA)eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of violence.
18 But the (AB)path of the righteous is like the (AC)light of dawn,
That (AD)shines brighter and brighter until the (AE)fullness of day.
19 The (AF)way of the wicked is like thick darkness;
They do not know over what they [e](AG)stumble.
20 My son, (AH)pay attention to my words;
(AI)Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 (AJ)Do not let them deviate from your eyes;
(AK)Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are (AL)life to those who find them
And (AM)healing to all his flesh.
23 Guard your heart with all diligence,
For (AN)from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you a (AO)perverse mouth
And (AP)put devious lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead
And even let your eyelids be fixed straight in front of you.
26 (AQ)Watch the track of your feet
And all your (AR)ways will be established.
27 (AS)Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
(AT)Turn your foot from evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:2 Lit good
- Proverbs 4:2 Or law
- Proverbs 4:7 Or The primary thing is wisdom
- Proverbs 4:16 Lit their sleep is robbed
- Proverbs 4:19 Or may stumble
Proverbs 4
New International Version
Proverbs 4
New International Version
Get Wisdom at Any Cost
4 Listen, my sons,(A) to a father’s instruction;(B)
pay attention and gain understanding.(C)
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold(D) of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.(E)
5 Get wisdom,(F) get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;(G)
love her, and she will watch over you.(H)
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom.
Though it cost all(I) you have,[b] get understanding.(J)
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.(K)
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.(L)”
10 Listen, my son,(M) accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.(N)
11 I instruct(O) you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.(P)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.(Q)
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.(R)
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.(S)
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;(T)
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.(U)
18 The path of the righteous(V) is like the morning sun,(W)
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.(X)
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;(Y)
they do not know what makes them stumble.(Z)
20 My son,(AA) pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.(AB)
21 Do not let them out of your sight,(AC)
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.(AD)
23 Above all else, guard(AE) your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.(AF)
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes(AG) look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet(AH)
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;(AI)
keep your foot from evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:7 Or Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
- Proverbs 4:7 Or wisdom. / Whatever else you get
- Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level
Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
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