Proverbs 4
4
Get Wisdom at Any Cost
1My sons, listen to a father’s teaching.
Pay attention and gain understanding.
2I give you good advice.
So don’t turn away from what I teach you.
3I, too, was once a young boy in my father’s house.
And my mother loved me deeply.
4Then my father taught me.
He said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart.
Keep my commands, and you will live.
5Get wisdom, and get understanding.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
6Stay close to wisdom, and she will keep you safe.
Love her, and she will watch over you.
7To start being wise you must first get wisdom.
No matter what it costs, get understanding.
8Value wisdom highly, and she will lift you up.
Hold her close, and she will honor you.
9She will set a beautiful crown on your head.
She will give you a glorious crown.”
10My son, listen. Accept what I say.
Then you will live for many years.
11I instruct you in the way of wisdom.
I lead you along straight paths.
12When you walk, nothing will slow you down.
When you run, you won’t trip and fall.
13Hold on to my teaching and don’t let it go.
Guard it well, because it is your life.
14Don’t take the path of evil people.
Don’t live the way sinners do.
15Stay away from their path and don’t travel on it.
Turn away from it and go on your way.
16Sinners can’t rest until they do what is evil.
They can’t sleep until they make someone sin.
17They do evil just as easily as they eat food.
They hurt others as easily as they drink wine.
18The path of those who do right is like the sun in the morning.
It shines brighter and brighter until the full light of day.
19But the way of those who do what is wrong is like deep darkness.
They don’t know what makes them trip and fall.
20My son, pay attention to what I say.
Listen closely to my words.
21Don’t let them out of your sight.
Keep them in your heart.
22They are life to those who find them.
They are health to a person’s whole body.
23Above everything else, guard your heart.
Everything you do comes from it.
24Don’t speak with twisted words.
Keep evil talk away from your lips.
25Let your eyes look straight ahead.
Keep looking right in front of you.
26Think carefully about the paths that your feet walk on.
Always choose the right ways.
27Don’t turn to the right or left.
Keep your feet from the path of evil.
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Proverbs 4
4
A Father’s Instruction
1Hear, O children, the instruction of a father,
And pay attention [and be willing to learn] so that you may gain understanding and intelligent discernment.
2For I give you good doctrine;
Do not #4:2 Lit forsake.turn away from my instruction.
3When I was a son with my father (David),
Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother (Bathsheba),
4He taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
Keep my commandments and live. [1 Chr 28:9; Eph 6:4]
5“Get [skillful and godly] wisdom! Acquire understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation]!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6“Do not #4:6 Lit forsake.turn away from her (Wisdom) and she will guard and protect you;
Love her, and she will watch over you.
7“The beginning of wisdom is: Get [skillful and godly] wisdom [it is preeminent]!
And with all your acquiring, get understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation]. [James 1:5]
8“Prize wisdom [and exalt her], and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
9“She will place on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty and glory.”
10¶Hear, my son, and accept my sayings,
And the years of your life will be many.
11I have instructed you in the way of [skillful and godly] wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.
12When you walk, your steps will not be impeded [for your path will be clear and open];
And when you run, you will not stumble.
13Take hold of instruction; [actively seek it, grip it firmly and] do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your life.
14Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not go the way of evil men.
15Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16For the wicked cannot sleep unless they do evil;
And they are deprived of sleep unless they make someone stumble and fall.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of violence.
18But the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn,
That shines brighter and brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day. [2 Sam 23:4; Matt 5:14; Phil 2:15]
19The way of the wicked is like [deep] darkness;
They do not know over what they stumble. [John 12:35]
20¶My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn;
Open your ears to my sayings.
21Do not let them escape from your sight;
Keep them in the center of your heart.
22For they are life to those who find them,
And healing and health to all their flesh.
23Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
24Put away from you a deceitful (lying, misleading) mouth,
And put devious lips far from you.
25Let your eyes look directly ahead [toward the path of moral courage]
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you [toward the path of integrity].
26Consider well and watch carefully the path of your feet,
And all your ways will be steadfast and sure.
27Do not turn away to the right nor to the left [where evil may lurk];
Turn your foot from [the path of] evil.
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