Proverbs 4

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

1Listen, children, to what your father teaches you. Pay attention, so you can understand.

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

2What I teach you is good. Do not turn away from my teaching.

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

3I was my father's son too. I was young, and my mother's only child, and she loved me.

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

4He taught me and said, "Hold on to my words. Keep my commands, and you will live."

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

5Get wisdom. Get understanding. Do not forget my words or turn away from them.

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

6Do not leave wisdom behind. She will keep you safe. Love her, and she will guard you.

NoteIn this book, wisdom is talked about like a person, a woman who helps and protects. "She" and "her" mean wisdom.

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

7Wisdom matters most of all. So get wisdom. Whatever else you get, get understanding too.

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

8Treasure wisdom, and she will lift you up. Hold her close, and she will bring you honor.

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

9She will put a lovely wreath on your head. She will give you a beautiful crown.

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

10Listen, my son. Take in my words. Then you will live many years.

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

11I have taught you the way of wisdom. I have led you along straight paths.

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

12When you walk, nothing will block your steps. When you run, you will not trip.

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

13Hold on tightly to what you are taught. Do not let go. Guard it. It is your life.

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

14Do not step onto the path of wicked people. Do not walk the way of those who do evil.

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

15Stay away from that path. Do not travel on it. Turn away and keep going.

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

16They cannot sleep until they have done something wrong. They stay awake until they make someone fall.

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

17Doing wrong is like bread to them. Hurting people is like wine they drink.

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

18The path of good people is like morning light. It shines brighter and brighter until noon.

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

19The way of wicked people is like deep darkness. They cannot see what makes them trip.

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

20My son, pay attention to my words. Listen closely to the things I say.

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

21Do not let them out of your sight. Keep them deep inside your heart.

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

22They give life to everyone who finds them. They bring health to the whole body.

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

23Guard your heart more than anything else. Everything you do flows out from it.

Note"Out of it are the issues of life" means everything you do comes out of your heart, like water flowing out of a spring.

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

24Stop saying things that are not true. Keep twisted talk far away from your lips.

Note"Froward" is an old word. It means crooked or dishonest, not gentle or shy.

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

25Let your eyes look straight ahead. Keep looking at what is in front of you.

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

26Think carefully about where your feet are going. Then all your ways will be steady.

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

27Do not turn to the right or to the left. Keep your feet away from evil.