Proverbs 4

₁Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father,

And attend to know understanding.

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.

₄He taught me also, and said unto me,

Let thine heart retain my words:

Keep my commandments, and live.

₅Get wisdom, get understanding:

Forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

₆Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee:

Love her, and she shall keep thee.

₇Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom:

And with all thy getting get understanding.

₈Exalt her, and she shall promote thee:

She shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

₉She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace:

A crown of glory shall she deliver 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.

₁₂When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened;

And when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

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.

₁₅Avoid it, pass not by it,

Turn from it, and pass away.

₁₆For they sleep not, except they have done mischief;

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.

₁₈But the path of the just is as the shining 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.

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.

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.

₂₄Put away from thee a froward mouth,

And perverse lips put far from 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.

₂₇Turn not to the right hand nor to the left:

Remove thy foot from evil.