Proverbs 4
World English Bible
4 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction.
Pay attention and know understanding;
2 for I give you sound learning.
Don’t forsake my law.
3 For I was a son to my father,
tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words.
Keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom.
Get understanding.
Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
6 Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you.
Love her, and she will keep you.
7 Wisdom is supreme.
Get wisdom.
Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you.
She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
9 She will give to your head a garland of grace.
She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”
10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings.
The years of your life will be many.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom.
I have led you in straight paths.
12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered.
When you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction.
Don’t let her go.
Keep her, for she is your life.
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.
Proverbs 4
Common English Bible
Love wisdom
4 Hear, children, fatherly instruction;
pay attention to gain understanding.
2 I’ll teach you well.
Don’t abandon my instruction.
3 When I was a son to my father,
tender and my mother’s favorite,
4 he taught me and said to me:
“Let your heart hold on to my words:
Keep my commands and live.
5 Get wisdom; get understanding.
Don’t forget and don’t turn away from my words.
6 Don’t abandon her, and she will guard you.
Love her, and she will protect you.
7 The beginning of wisdom:
Get wisdom!
Get understanding before anything else.
8 Highly esteem her, and she will exalt you.
She will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will place a graceful wreath on your head;
she will give you a glorious crown.”
Stay on the path of wisdom
10 Listen, my son, and take in my speech,
then the years of your life will be many.
11 I teach you the path of wisdom.
I lead you in straight courses.
12 When you walk, you won’t be hindered;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction; don’t slack off;
protect it, for it is your life.
14 Don’t go on the way of the wicked;
don’t walk on the path of evil people.
15 Avoid it! Don’t turn onto it;
stay off of it and keep going!
16 They don’t sleep unless they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of evil,
and they drink the wine of violence.
18 The way of the righteous is like morning light
that gets brighter and brighter till it is full day.
19 The path of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they don’t know where they will stumble.
Be careful about what you say
20 My son, pay attention to my words.
Bend your ear to my speech.
21 Don’t let them slip from your sight.
Guard them in your mind.
22 They are life to those who find them,
and healing for their entire body.
23 More than anything you guard, protect your mind, for life flows from it.
24 Have nothing to do with a corrupt mouth;
keep devious lips far from you.
25 Focus your eyes straight ahead;
keep your gaze on what is in front of you.
26 Watch your feet on the way,
and all your paths will be secure.
27 Don’t deviate a bit to the right or the left;
turn your feet away from evil.
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