Proverbs 4
4
A Father’s Instruction
1Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father,
And give attention that you may gain understanding,
2For I give you sound teaching;
Do not abandon my instruction.
3When I was a son to my father,
Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,
4Then he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
Keep my commandments and live;
5Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;
Love her, and she will watch over you.
7The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, get understanding.
8Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
9She will place on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10Hear, my son, and accept my sayings
And the years of your life will be many.
11I have directed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.
12When you walk, your steps will not be impeded;
And if you run, you will not stumble.
13Take hold of instruction; do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your life.
14Do not enter the path of the wicked
And do not proceed in the way of evil men.
15Avoid it, do not pass by it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil;
And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of violence.
18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.
19The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know over what they stumble.
20My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21Do not let them depart from your sight;
Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22For they are life to those who find them
And health to all their body.
23Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
24Put away from you a deceitful mouth
And put devious speech far from you.
25Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
26Watch the path of your feet
And all your ways will be established.
27Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
Turn your foot from evil.
Currently Selected:
Proverbs 4: NASB1995
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by THE LOCKMAN FOUNDATION
A Corporation Not for Profit
LA HABRA, CA
All Rights Reserved
http://www.lockman.org
Proverbs 4
4
1Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
2For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.
3For, a son I have been to my father — tender, And an only one before my mother.
4And he directeth me, and he saith to me: ‘Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
5Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
6Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.
7The first thing [is] wisdom — get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.
8Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.
9She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.
10Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to thee.
11In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.
12In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.
13Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.
14Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.
15Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
16For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.
17For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.
18And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,
19The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
20My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,
21Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.
22For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
23Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
24Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,
25Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.
27Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society