Proverbs 4
Modern English Version
Wisdom Is Supreme
4 Hear, O children, the instruction of a father,
and attend to know understanding.
2 For I give you good precepts;
do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I was my father’s son,
tender and the only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 He also taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart retain my words;
keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget it, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
love her, and she will keep you.
7 Wisdom is principal; therefore get wisdom.
And with all your getting, get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will promote you;
she will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head an ornament of grace;
a crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
and the years of your life will be many.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered,
and when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let her go;
keep her, for she is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not go in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and pass on.
16 For they do not sleep unless 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 shines more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness;
they do not know at what they stumble.
20 My son, attend 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 body.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
and put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look right on,
and let your eyelids look straight before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet,
and let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or to the left;
remove your foot from evil.
Proverbs 4
Names of God Bible
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.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.