Proverbs 4
New Life Version
A Father’s Teaching
4 O sons, hear the teaching of a father. Listen so you may get understanding. 2 For I give you good teaching. Do not turn away from it. 3 When I was a much loved and only son of my mother and father, 4 he taught me, saying, “Hold my words close to your heart. Keep my teachings and live. 5 Get wisdom and understanding. Do not forget or turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not leave her alone, and she will keep you safe. Love her, and she will watch over you. 7 The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom! And with all you have gotten, get understanding. 8 Honor her and she will honor you. She will honor you if you hold her to your heart. 9 She will put on your head a crown of loving-favor and beauty.”
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 on the right paths. 12 When you walk, your steps will not be stopped. If you run, you will not trip. 13 Take hold of teaching. Do not let go. Watch over her, for she is your life. 14 Do not go on the path of the sinful. Do not walk in the way of bad men. 15 Stay away from it. Do not pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on. 16 For they cannot sleep unless they do wrong. They are robbed of sleep unless they make someone fall. 17 For they eat the bread of sin, and drink the wine of wrong-doing. 18 But the way of those who are right is like the early morning light. It shines brighter and brighter until the perfect day. 19 The way of the sinful is like darkness. They do not know what they trip over.
20 My son, listen to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them leave your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. 23 Keep your heart pure for out of it are the important things of life. 24 Put false speaking away from you. Put bad talk far from you. 25 Let your eyes look straight in front of you, and keep looking at what is in front of you. 26 Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure. 27 Do not turn to the right or to the left. Turn your foot away from sin.
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
箴言 4
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
父親的教誨
4 孩子們啊，
你們要聽從父親的教誨，
留心學習，以便領悟，
2 因為我給你們的訓誨是美好的，
不可背棄我的教導。
3 我年幼時在父親身邊，
是母親唯一的寵兒。
4 父親教導我說：
「要牢記我的話，
遵守我的誡命，就必存活。
5 你要尋求智慧和悟性，
不要忘記或違背我的吩咐。
6 不可離棄智慧，智慧必護佑你；
你要熱愛智慧，智慧必看顧你。
7 智慧至上，要尋求智慧，
要不惜一切，求得悟性。
8 高舉智慧，她必使你受尊崇；
擁抱智慧，她必使你得尊榮。
9 她必為你戴上華冠，
加上榮冕。」
10 孩子啊，你要聽從我的教導，
就必延年益壽。
11 我已經指示你走智慧之道，
引導你行正確的路。
12 你行走，必不受妨礙；
你奔跑，絕不會跌倒。
13 你要持守教誨，不要鬆懈；
要守護好，因為那是你的生命。
14 不要涉足惡人的道，
不要行走壞人的路；
15 要避開，不可踏足，
要繞道而行。
16 因為他們不作惡就無法入睡，
不絆倒人就無法安眠；
17 他們吃的是邪惡餅，
喝的是殘暴酒。
18 義人的道路好像黎明的曙光，
越照越亮，直到大放光明。
19 惡人的道路一片幽暗，
他們不知被何物絆倒。
20 孩子啊，你要聆聽我的吩咐，
側耳聽我的訓言；
21 不要讓它們離開你的視線，
要牢記在心。
22 因為得到它們就得到生命，
全身也必康健。
23 要一絲不苟地守護你的心，
因為生命之泉從心中湧出。
24 不講欺詐之言，
不說荒謬的話。
25 眼睛要正視前方，
雙目要向前直看。
26 要鋪平腳下的路，
使所行之道穩妥。
27 不可偏右偏左，
要遠離惡事。
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
