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.
Mishlĕ (Proverbs) 4
4
1Children, listen to the discipline of a father, And give attention to know understanding;
2For I gave you good instruction: Do not forsake my Torah.
3For I was my father’s son, Tender and the only one in the eyes of my mother,
4Then he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; Guard my commands, and live.
5“Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, and do not turn away From the words of my mouth.
6“Do not leave her, and let her guard you; Love her, and let her watch over you.
7“The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom! And with all your getting, get understanding.
8“Exalt her, and let her uplift you; She brings you esteem when you embrace her.
9“She gives your head a fair wreath, She shields you with an adorning crown.”
10Hear, my son, and accept my words, And let the years of your life be many.
11I have taught you in the way of wisdom, I have led you in straight paths.
12When you walk your steps shall not be hindered, And if you run you shall not stumble.
13Become strong in discipline, do not let go; Watch over her, for she is your life.
14Do not enter the path of the wrong, And do not walk in the way of evil-doers.
15Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away from it and pass on.
16For they do not sleep unless they have done evil. And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.
17For they have eaten the bread of wrongdoing, And they drink the wine of violence.
18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
19The way of the wrong is like darkness; They do not know at what they stumble.
20My son, listen to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21Let them not depart from your eyes; Guard them in the midst of your heart;
22For they are life to those who find them, And healing to all their flesh.
23Watch over your heart with all diligence, For out of it are the sources of life.
24Turn away from you a crooked mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.
25Let your eyes look forward, And your eyelids look straight before you.
26Consider the path of your feet, And all your ways are established.
27Do not turn to the right or the left; Turn your foot away from evil.
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