Proverbs 4

1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.

1 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

2 For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.

2 for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

3 When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,

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, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.

4 He 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 my words or turn from them.

5 Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.

6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.

6 Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

7 Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.

7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

8 Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.

8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.

9 She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”

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 words, and the years of your life will be many.

10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.

11 I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.

11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.

12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.

12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.

13 Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.

13 Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.

14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.

14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.

15 Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.

15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.

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.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.

19 But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.

19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.

20 My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.

20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

21 Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.

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 the whole body.

22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.

23 Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.

23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.

24 Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.

24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.

25 Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.

26 Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.

26 Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.

27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.

27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.