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The Proverbs

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 4 -

An admonition of a father to his son. Acquiring wisdom

1
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2
For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
3
When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
4
he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
5
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
6
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
7
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire,(a) gain understanding.
8
Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9
She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”

The way of the wise and the way of the unrighteous

10
Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
11
I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
12
When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
13
Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
14
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15
Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
16
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
17
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.

A father's admonition

20
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21
Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
22
For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
23
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
24
Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
25
Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
26
Make a level path for your feet,(b) and all your ways will be sure.
27
Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.

Footnotes

(a)4:7 Or And whatever else you acquire
(b)4:26 Or Ponder the path for your feet; LXX Make straight paths for your feet; cited in Hebrews 12:13

An admonition of a father to his son. Acquiring wisdom

1
Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
2
for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
3
For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
4
He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
5
Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
6
Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
7
Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8
Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
9
She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”

The way of the wise and the way of the unrighteous

10
Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
11
I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
12
When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
13
Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
14
Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15
Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
16
For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
17
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18
But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
19
The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.

A father's admonition

20
My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
21
Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.
22
For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
23
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24
Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
25
Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
26
Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
27
Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
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