Proverbs 4

1Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

1Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:

1Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.

1Hear, mysons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding:

2For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

2For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.

2For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.

2For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law.

3For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

3For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.

3For, a son I have been to my father--tender, And an only one before my mother.

3For I was a son unto my father, Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

4And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:

4And he directeth me, and he saith to me: `Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.

4And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live;

5Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

5Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.

5Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.

5Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;

6Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

6Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.

6Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.

6Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee.

7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

7The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.

7The first thing <FI>is<Fi> wisdom--get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.

7Wisdomisthe principal thing; therefore get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.

8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

8Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love.

8Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.

8Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.

9She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

9She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory.

9She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.

9She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; A crown of beauty will she deliver to thee.

10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

10Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.

10Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life <FI>are<Fi> multiplied to thee.

10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many.

11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

11I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.

11In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.

11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.

12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

12When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.

12In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.

12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

13Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.

13Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she <FI>is<Fi> thy life.

13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: Keep her; for she is thy life.

14Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

14Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.

14Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.

14Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men.

15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

15Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.

15Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.

15Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on.

16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

16For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall.

16For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not <FI>some<Fi> to stumble.

16For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

17The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.

17For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.

17For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.

18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

18But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.

18And the path of the righteous <FI>is<Fi> as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,

18But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

19The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.

19The way of the wicked <FI>is<Fi> as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.

19The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble.

20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

20My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.

20My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,

20My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.

21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

21Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.

21Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.

21Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart.

22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

22For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.

22For life they <FI>are<Fi> to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.

22For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.

23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

23And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.

23Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it <FI>are<Fi> the outgoings of life.

23Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.

24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

24Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you.

24Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,

24Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.

25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

25Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you.

25Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.

25Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

26Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.

26Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways <FI>are<Fi> established.

26Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.

27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

27Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.

27Incline not <FI>to<Fi> the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!

27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.