Proverbs Chapter 4

A further exhortation to seek after wisdom.

4:1. Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend, that you may know prudence.

4:2. I will give you a good gift, forsake not my law.

4:3. For I also was my father's son, tender, and as an only son in the sight of my mother:

4:4. And he taught me, and said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.

4:5. Get wisdom, get prudence: forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth.

4:6. Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee: love her, and she shall preserve thee.

4:7. The beginning of wisdom, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase prudence.

4:8. Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her.

4:9. She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown.

4:10. Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee.

4:11. I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity:

4:12. Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock.

4:13. Take hold on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life.

4:14. Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee.

4:15. Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake it.

4:16. For they sleep not, except they have done evil: and their sleep is taken away unless they have made some to fall.

4:17. They eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of iniquity.

4:18. But the path of the just, as a shining light, goeth forwards, and increaseth even to perfect day.

4:19. The way of the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall.

4:20. My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings.

4:21. Let them not depart from thy eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart:

4:22. For they are life to those that find them, and health to all flesh.

4:23. With all watchfulness keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it.

4:24. Remove from thee a froward mouth, and let detracting lips be far from thee.

4:25. Let thy eyes look straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy steps.

4:26. Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established.

4:27. Decline not to the right hand, nor to the left: turn away thy foot from evil. For the Lord knoweth the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand. But he will make thy courses straight, he will bring forward thy ways in peace.