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Proverbs 4
Tree of Life Version
Proverbs 4
Tree of Life Version
A Father’s Lesson: Get Wisdom!
4 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction.
Pay attention, to gain understanding.
2 For I give you sound learning—
do not forsake my instruction.
3 When I was a son to my father,
tender and special to my mother,
4 he taught me and said to me:
“Lay hold of my words in your heart,
keep my commands and you will live!
5 Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will guard you.
Love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is supreme—acquire wisdom!
With all your acquisitions, get understanding.
8 Prize her, and she will exalt you.
She will honor you when you embrace her.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head.
She will give you a crown of glory.”
Ways of Wisdom and Wickedness
10 Listen, my son, and accept my words,
so the years of your life will be many.
11 I instructed you in the way of wisdom.
I have guided you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your step will not be hindered,
and when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on tightly to instruction, do not let it go—
guard it, for it is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evil people.
15 Avoid it—do not travel on it—
turn away from it and pass by.
16 For they cannot sleep until they do evil.
They are robbed of sleep until they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
shining brighter and brighter until the full day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness.
They do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to my words—
incline your ear to my sayings.
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 health to their whole body.
23 Guard your heart diligently,
for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth,
and keep devious lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead,
and fix your gaze straight in front of you.
26 Clear a level path for your feet,
so all your ways will be firm.
27 Do not turn to the right or to the left.
Divert your foot from evil.
Proverbs 4
Common English Bible
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.
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
Tree of Life Version (TLV)
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.