Proverbs 4

The Father’s Wisdom

¹Children, listen to the instruction of a father,

²For I have given you good instruction;

³When I was a son to my father,

⁴he taught me and said to me,

⁵Get wisdom and insight;

⁶Do not forsake her—then she will guard you;

⁷The beginning of wisdom: Get wisdom!

⁸Cherish her and she will exalt you;

⁹She will give a garland for your head;

The Right Path

¹⁰Listen, my child, take my sayings,

¹¹In the way of wisdom I have instructed you;

¹²When you walk, your step will not be hampered,[#Literally “In your walking”]

¹³Seize the instruction! Do not let go!

¹⁴In the path of the wicked do not go;

¹⁵Avoid it; do not transgress it;

¹⁶For they will not sleep if they have not done wrong,

¹⁷For they ate the bread of wickedness,

¹⁸But the path of the righteous ones is like the light of dawn,

¹⁹The way of the wicked ones is like deep darkness;

Staying the Course

²⁰My child, be attentive to my words;

²¹May they not escape from your sight;[#Literally “eyes”]

²²For they are life to those who find them

²³With all vigilance, keep your heart,

²⁴Remove from yourself deceitful speech,[#Literally “crookedness of mouth”]

²⁵May your eyes look forward[#Or “opposite”]

²⁶May the path of your foot be balanced

²⁷Do not swerve right or left;