Proverbs
Chapter 4
1 Listen, children, to a father’s teaching, and pay attention to gain wisdom.
2 I give you good teaching, do not abandon my rules.
3 I was my father’s child, gentle and the only one loved by my mother.
4 He also taught me and told me, “Keep my words in your heart: follow my rules, and you will live.”
5 Gain wisdom, gain insight: don’t forget; don’t turn away from what I say.
6 Do not abandon her, and she will protect you: love her, and she will take care of you.
7 Wisdom is the most important; so get wisdom, and with all you have, get understanding.
8 Honor her, and she will lift you up; she will give you respect when you hold her tightly.
9 She will give you a beautiful crown to make you look good; you will receive a glorious crown from her.
10 Listen, my child, and accept what I say; then you will live a long life.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have guided you on right paths.
12 When you go, your steps will not be tight; and when you run, you will not trip.
13 Hold on to teaching tightly; don’t let it go: protect it, because it is your life.
14 Don’t follow the path of the wicked or walk in the way of bad people.
15 Stay away, do not go near it, turn from it and keep going.
16 They can’t sleep until they do wrong; they miss sleep if they haven’t made someone stumble.
17 They eat the food of evil and drink the wine of violence.
18 The way of good people is like the sunrise, getting brighter and brighter until full daylight.
19 Wicked people live in darkness and don’t understand what makes them fall.
20 My son, listen to my words; pay attention to what I say.
21 Always keep them in your sight; store them deep in your heart.
22 They give life to those who find them and health to everyone’s body.
23 Protect your heart carefully, because from it come the important things in life.
24 Stop talking in a twisted way, and keep dishonest words far from you.
25 Keep your eyes looking directly forward, and your gaze straight ahead of you.
26 Think carefully about where you walk, and make sure all your actions are steady.
27 Do not turn right or left: keep away from evil.