Proverbs - Chapter 4

1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

1 Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:

2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

2 For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.

3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

3 For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.

4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

4 And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:

5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

5 Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.

6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

6 Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.

7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

7 The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.

8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

8 Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love.

9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

9 She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory.

10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

10 Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.

11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

11 I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.

12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

12 When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.

13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

13 Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.

14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

14 Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.

15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

15 Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.

16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

16 For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall.

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

17 The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.

18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

18 But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.

19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

19 The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.

20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

20 My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

21 Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.

22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

22 For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.

23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

23 And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.

24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

24 Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you.

25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

25 Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you.

26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

26 Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.

27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

27 Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.