Proverbs 4
4
1 Listen, sons, to the discipline of a father, and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.
2 I will bestow upon you a good gift. Do not relinquish my law.
3 For I, too, was the son of my father, tender and an only son in the sight of my mother.
4 And he taught me, and he also said: "Let your heart accept my words. Keep my precepts, and you shall live.
5 Obtain wisdom, obtain prudence. May you neither forget, nor turn away from, the words of my mouth.
6 Do not send her away, and she will guard you. Love her, and she will preserve you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom, and, with all that you possess, to acquire prudence.
8 Grasp her, and she will exalt you. You will be glorified by her, when you have embraced her.
9 She will bestow upon your head an increase in graces, and she will protect you with a noble crown.
10 Listen, my son, and accept my words, so that years of life may be multiplied for you.
11 I will demonstrate to you the way of wisdom. I will lead you along the paths of equity.
12 When you have entered by these, your steps will not be constrained, and when running, you will have no obstacle.
13 Take hold of discipline. Do not dismiss it. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Do not delight in the paths of the impious, nor permit the way of evil-doers to please you.
15 Take flight from it. Do not pass close to it. Turn away and abandon it.
16 For they do not sleep, unless they have done evil. And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.
17 They eat the bread of impiety, and they drink the wine of iniquity.
18 But the path of the just is like a shining light: it advances and increases, even to the day of completion.
19 The way of the impious is darkened. They do not know where they may fall.
20 My son, pay attention to my sermons, and incline your ear to my eloquent words.
21 Let them not recede from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them and health to all that is flesh.
23 Preserve your heart with all watchfulness, for life proceeds from this.
24 Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth, and let detracting lips be far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids precede your steps.
26 Direct the path of your feet, and all your ways shall be secure.
27 Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left; yet turn your foot away from evil. For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right, and truly, those that are on the left are perverse. But he himself will make your courses straight. Then your journey will advance in peace.
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Proverbs 4
4
The Father’s Wisdom
1Children, listen to the instruction of a father,
and be attentive in order to know insight.
2For I have given you good instruction;
do not forsake my teaching.
3When I was a son to my father,
tender and alone before my mother,
4he taught me and said to me,
“May your heart hold fast to my words;
guard my commandments and live.
5Get wisdom and insight;
do not forget and do not turn from the sayings of my mouth.
6Do not forsake her—then she will guard you;
love her and she will keep you.
7The beginning of wisdom: Get wisdom!
With all that is in your possession, gain insight.
8Cherish her and she will exalt you;
she will honor you if you embrace her.
9She will give a garland for your head;
she shall bestow a crown of glory upon you.”
The Right Path
10Listen, my child, take my sayings,
and the years of your life shall be great.
11In the way of wisdom I have instructed you;
I have led you in the path of uprightness.
12When you walk,#Literally “In your walking” your step will not be hampered,
and if you run, you will not stumble.
13Seize the instruction! Do not let go!
Guard her, for she is your life.
14In the path of the wicked do not go;
do not walk in the way of those who do evil.
15Avoid it; do not transgress it;
turn away from it and pass by.
16For they will not sleep if they have not done wrong,
and they are robbed of their sleep if they do not cause stumbling.
17For they ate the bread of wickedness,
and they drank the wine of violence.
18But the path of the righteous ones is like the light of dawn,
leading and shining until the day is full.#Literally “is correct”
19The way of the wicked ones is like deep darkness;
they do not know what they stumble over.
Staying the Course
20My child, be attentive to my words;
to my sayings incline your ear.
21May they not escape from your sight;#Literally “eyes”
keep them in the midst of your heart.
22For they are life to those who find them
and healing to the entire body.#Literally “for all his flesh”
23With all vigilance, keep your heart,
for from it comes the source#Or “extremity” of life.
24Remove from yourself deceitful speech,#Literally “crookedness of mouth”
and abolish devious talk#Literally “deviousness of lips” from yourself.
25May your eyes look forward#Or “opposite”
and your gaze be straight before you.
26May the path of your foot be balanced
and all your ways be sure.
27Do not swerve right or left;
remove your foot from evil.
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