Proverbs

The Proverbs, chapter 4, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 4 New English Translation

Admonition to Follow Righteousness and Avoid Wickedness

   1 Listen, children, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so that you may gain discernment.
   2 Because I give you good instruction, do not forsake my teaching.
   3 When I was a son to my father, a tender only child before my mother,
   4 he taught me, and he said to me:"Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands so that you will live.
   5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding; do not forget and do not turn aside from the words I speak.
   6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will guard you.
   7 Wisdom is supreme - so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding!
   8 Esteem her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
   9 She will place a fair garland on your head; she will bestow a beautiful crown on you."
   10 Listen, my child, and accept my words, so that the years of your life will be many.
   11 I will guide you in the way of wisdom and I will lead you in upright paths.
   12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered, and when you run, you will not stumble.
   13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; protect it, because it is your life.
   14 Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil.
   15 Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it, and go on.
   16 For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble.
   17 For they eat bread gained from wickedness and drink wine obtained from violence.
   18 But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, growing brighter and brighter until full day.
   19 The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness; they do not know what causes them to stumble.
   20 My child, pay attention to my words; listen attentively to my sayings.
   21 Do not let them depart from your sight, guard them within your heart;
   22 for they are life to those who find them and healing to one's entire body.
   23 Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life.
   24 Remove perverse speech from your mouth; keep devious talk far from your lips.
   25 Let your eyes look directly in front of you and let your gaze look straight before you.
   26 Make the path for your feet level, so that all your ways may be established.
   27 Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn yourself away from evil.

King James Version

   1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
   2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
   3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
   4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
   5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
   6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
   7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
   8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
   9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
   10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
   11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
   12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
   13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
   14 ¶ Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
   15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
   16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
   17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
   18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
   19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
   20 ¶ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
   21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
   22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
   23 ¶ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
   24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
   25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
   26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
   27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.