Proverbs 4

¹Hear, O children, a father’s instruction,

be attentive, that you may gain understanding!

²Yes, excellent advice I give you;

my teaching do not forsake.

³When I was my father’s child,

tender, the darling of my mother,

⁴He taught me and said to me:

“Let your heart hold fast my words:

keep my commands, and live!

⁵Get wisdom, get understanding![#4:5, 7] : the same Hebrew word “to get” can mean to acquire merchandise and to acquire a wife (18:22; 31:10); both meanings are in keeping with Proverbs’ metaphors of acquiring wisdom over gold and silver and of acquiring wisdom as a personified woman, a wife.]

Do not forget or turn aside from the words of my mouth.

⁶Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;

love her, and she will safeguard you;

⁷The beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom;

whatever else you get, get understanding.

⁸Extol her, and she will exalt you;

she will bring you honors if you embrace her;

⁹She will put on your head a graceful diadem;

a glorious crown will she bestow on you.”

¹⁰Hear, my son, and receive my words,

and the years of your life shall be many.

¹¹On the way of wisdom I direct you,

I lead you on straight paths.

¹²When you walk, your step will not be impeded,

and should you run, you will not stumble.

¹³Hold fast to instruction, never let it go;

keep it, for it is your life.

¹⁴The path of the wicked do not enter,[#One is always free to choose. The righteous may choose to leave their path to walk on the wicked path and the wicked may choose the righteous path.]

nor walk in the way of the evil;

¹⁵Shun it, do not cross it,

turn aside from it, pass on.

¹⁶For they cannot rest unless they have done evil;

if they do not trip anyone they lose sleep.

¹⁷For they eat the bread of wickedness

and drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸But the path of the just is like shining light,

that grows in brilliance till perfect day.

¹⁹The way of the wicked is like darkness;

they do not know on what they stumble.

²⁰My son, to my words be attentive,

to my sayings incline your ear;

²¹Let them not slip from your sight,

keep them within your heart;

²²For they are life to those who find them,[#Prv 8:35.]

bringing health to one’s whole being.

²³With all vigilance guard your heart,

for in it are the sources of life.

²⁴Dishonest mouth put away from you,[#In vv. 20–21 the faculties of hearing (ear) and seeing (eye) take in the teaching and the heart stores and ponders it, so in the second half of the poem, vv. 24–27, the faculties of speech, sight, and walking enable the disciple to put the teaching into practice.]

deceitful lips put far from you.

²⁵Let your eyes look straight ahead

and your gaze be focused forward.

²⁶Survey the path for your feet,

and all your ways will be sure.

²⁷Turn neither to right nor to left,

keep your foot far from evil.