Proverbs 4
GOD’S WORD Translation
Cherish Wisdom
4 Sons,
listen to ⌞your⌟ father’s discipline,
and pay attention in order to gain understanding.
2 After all, I have taught you well.
Do not abandon my teachings.
3 When I was a boy ⌞learning⌟ from my father,
when I was a tender and only child of my mother,
4 they used to teach me and say to me,
“Cling to my words wholeheartedly.
Obey my commands so that you may live.
5 Acquire wisdom.
Acquire understanding.
Do not forget.
Do not turn away from the words that I have spoken.
6 Do not abandon wisdom, and it will watch over you.
Love wisdom, and it will protect you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom.
Acquire understanding with all that you have.
8 Cherish wisdom.
It will raise you up.
It will bring you honor when you embrace it.
9 It will give you a graceful garland for your head.
It will hand you a beautiful crown.”
Stay on the Path of Wisdom
10 My son,
listen and accept my words,
and they will multiply the years of your life.
11 I have taught you the way of wisdom.
I have guided you along decent paths.
12 When you walk, your stride will not be hampered.
Even if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Cling to discipline.
Do not relax your grip on it.
Keep it because it is your life.
14 Do not stray onto the path of wicked people.
Do not walk in the way of evil people.
15 Avoid it.
Do not walk near it.
Turn away from it,
and keep on walking.
16 Wicked people cannot sleep
unless they do wrong,
and they are robbed of their sleep
unless they make someone stumble.
17 They eat food obtained through wrongdoing
and drink wine obtained through violence.
18 But the path of righteous people is like the light of dawn
that becomes brighter and brighter until it reaches midday.
19 The way of wicked people is like deep darkness.
They do not know what makes them stumble.
Stay Focused on Wisdom
20 My son,
pay attention to my words.
Open your ears to what I say.
21 Do not lose sight of these things.
Keep them deep within your heart
22 because they are life to those who find them
and they heal the whole body.
23 Guard your heart more than anything else,
because the source of your life flows from it.
24 Remove dishonesty from your mouth.
Put deceptive speech far away from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead
and your sight be focused in front of you.
26 Carefully walk a straight path,
and all your ways will be secure.
27 Do not lean to the right or to the left.
Walk away from evil.
Proverbs 4
New King James Version
Security in Wisdom
4 Hear, (A)my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;
2 For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law.
3 When I was my father’s son,
(B)Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 (C)He also taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words;
(D)Keep my commands, and live.
5 (E)Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
(F)Love her, and she will keep you.
7 (G)Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
8 (H)Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head (I)an ornament of grace;
A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
(J)And the years of your life will be many.
11 I have (K)taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
12 When you walk, (L)your steps will not be hindered,
(M)And when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.
14 (N)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not walk in the way of evil.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16 (O)For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;
And their sleep is [a]taken away unless they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.
18 (P)But the path of the just (Q)is like the shining [b]sun,
That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
19 (R)The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of (S)life.
24 Put away from you a [c]deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
26 Ponder the path of your (T)feet,
And let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:16 Lit. robbed
- Proverbs 4:18 Lit. light
- Proverbs 4:24 devious
Proverbs 4
English Standard Version
A Father's Wise Instruction
4 (A)Hear, O sons, a father's instruction,
and be attentive, that you may (B)gain[a] insight,
2 for I give you good (C)precepts;
do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father,
(D)tender, (E)the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 he (F)taught me and said to me,
(G)“Let your heart hold fast my words;
(H)keep my commandments, and live.
5 (I)Get wisdom; get (J)insight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
(K)love her, and she will guard you.
7 (L)The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get (M)insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will (N)honor you (O)if you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head (P)a graceful garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
10 (Q)Hear, (R)my son, and accept my words,
that (S)the years of your life may be many.
11 I have (T)taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, (U)your step will not be hampered,
and (V)if you run, you will not stumble.
13 (W)Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your (X)life.
14 (Y)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15 Avoid it; do not go on it;
turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they (Z)cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
(AA)and drink the wine of violence.
18 But (AB)the path of the righteous is like (AC)the light of dawn,
which shines (AD)brighter and brighter until (AE)full day.
19 (AF)The way of the wicked is like deep (AG)darkness;
they do not know over what they (AH)stumble.
20 (AI)My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
21 (AJ)Let them not escape from your sight;
(AK)keep them within your heart.
22 For they are (AL)life to those who find them,
and healing to all their[b] flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for (AM)from it flow (AN)the springs of life.
24 Put away from you (AO)crooked speech,
and put (AP)devious talk far from you.
25 (AQ)Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
26 (AR)Ponder[c] the path of your feet;
(AS)then all your ways will be sure.
27 (AT)Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:1 Hebrew know
- Proverbs 4:22 Hebrew his
- Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level
Proverbs 4
Revised Geneva Translation
4 Hear, O children, the instruction of a father. And give ear to learn understanding.
2 For I do give you a good doctrine. Therefore, do not forsake my law.
3 For I was my father’s son, tender and dear in the sight of my mother,
4 when he taught me, and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words. Keep my commandments, and you shall live.
5 “Get wisdom. Get understanding. Neither forget nor decline from the words of my mouth.
6 “Do not forsake her, and she shall keep you. Love her and she shall preserve you.
7 “Wisdom is the beginning. Therefore, get wisdom. And above all your possessions, get understanding.
8 “Exalt her, and she shall exalt you. She shall bring you to honor, if you embrace her.
9 “She shall give a comely ornament to your head. Indeed, she shall give you a crown of glory.
10 “Hear, my son, and receive my words. And the years of your life shall be many.
11 “I have taught you in the way of wisdom and led you in the paths of righteousness.
12 “When you go, your gait shall not be distressed. And when you run, you shall not fall.
13 “Take hold of instruction, and do not let go. Keep her, for she is your life.
14 “Do not enter into the way of the wicked. And do not walk in the way of evil.
15 “Avoid it. Do not go by it. Turn from it, and pass by.
16 “For they cannot sleep unless they have done evil. And their sleep departs unless they cause some to fall.
17 “For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 “But the way of the righteous shines, as the light that shines more and more until the perfect Day.
19 “The way of the wicked is as the darkness. They do not know wherein they shall fall.
20 “My son, listen to my words. Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 “Do not let them depart from your eyes. But keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 “For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 “Keep your heart with all diligence. For out of it comes life.
24 “Put away from you a perverse mouth. And put wicked lips far from you.
25 “Let your eyes behold the right. And let your eyelids direct your way before you.
26 “Ponder the path of your feet. And let all your ways be ordered aright.
27 “Do not turn to the right hand or to the left. Remove your foot from evil.”
Proverbs 4
King James Version
4 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
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