Proverbs 4
4
Cherish Wisdom
1Sons,
listen to ⌞your⌟ father’s discipline,
and pay attention in order to gain understanding.
2After all, I have taught you well.
Do not abandon my teachings.
3When I was a boy ⌞learning⌟ from my father,
when I was a tender and only child of my mother,
4they used to teach me and say to me,
“Cling to my words wholeheartedly.
Obey my commands so that you may live.
5Acquire wisdom.
Acquire understanding.
Do not forget.
Do not turn away from the words that I have spoken.
6Do not abandon wisdom, and it will watch over you.
Love wisdom, and it will protect you.
7The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom.
Acquire understanding with all that you have.
8Cherish wisdom.
It will raise you up.
It will bring you honor when you embrace it.
9It will give you a graceful garland for your head.
It will hand you a beautiful crown.”
Stay on the Path of Wisdom
10My son,
listen and accept my words,
and they will multiply the years of your life.
11I have taught you the way of wisdom.
I have guided you along decent paths.
12When you walk, your stride will not be hampered.
Even if you run, you will not stumble.
13Cling to discipline.
Do not relax your grip on it.
Keep it because it is your life.
14Do not stray onto the path of wicked people.
Do not walk in the way of evil people.
15Avoid it.
Do not walk near it.
Turn away from it,
and keep on walking.
16Wicked people cannot sleep
unless they do wrong,
and they are robbed of their sleep
unless they make someone stumble.
17They eat food obtained through wrongdoing
and drink wine obtained through violence.
18But the path of righteous people is like the light of dawn
that becomes brighter and brighter until it reaches midday.
19The way of wicked people is like deep darkness.
They do not know what makes them stumble.
Stay Focused on Wisdom
20My son,
pay attention to my words.
Open your ears to what I say.
21Do not lose sight of these things.
Keep them deep within your heart
22because they are life to those who find them
and they heal the whole body.
23Guard your heart more than anything else,
because the source of your life flows from it.
24Remove dishonesty from your mouth.
Put deceptive speech far away from your lips.
25Let your eyes look straight ahead
and your sight be focused in front of you.
26Carefully walk a straight path,
and all your ways will be secure.
27Do not lean to the right or to the left.
Walk away from evil.
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Proverbs 4: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 4
4
A Father’s Wise Advice
1My children,#4:1 Hebrew My sons. listen when your father corrects you.
Pay attention and learn good judgment,
2for I am giving you good guidance.
Don’t turn away from my instructions.
3For I, too, was once my father’s son,
tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.
4My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
Follow my commands, and you will live.
5Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
6Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
7Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
8If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
Embrace her, and she will honor you.
9She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
she will present you with a beautiful crown.”
10My child,#4:10 Hebrew My son; also in 4:20. listen to me and do as I say,
and you will have a long, good life.
11I will teach you wisdom’s ways
and lead you in straight paths.
12When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
13Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
Guard them, for they are the key to life.
14Don’t do as the wicked do,
and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
15Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
Turn away and keep moving.
16For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
17They eat the food of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence!
18The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
19But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
They have no idea what they are stumbling over.
20My child, pay attention to what I say.
Listen carefully to my words.
21Don’t lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
22for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.
23Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
24Avoid all perverse talk;
stay away from corrupt speech.
25Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
26Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
27Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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