Proverbs 4
4
A Father’s Wise Instruction
1 # ch. 1:8; [ch. 5:7; 7:24; 8:33; Ps. 34:11] Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may #ch. 2:2gain#4:1 Hebrew know insight,
2for I give you good #Job 11:4precepts;
do not forsake my teaching.
3When I was a son with my father,
# See 1 Chr. 22:5 tender, #Zech. 12:10the only one in the sight of my mother,
4he #1 Chr. 28:9; [Eph. 6:4] taught me and said to me,
# [ch. 3:1] “Let your heart hold fast my words;
# ch. 7:2; Lev. 18:5; Isa. 55:3 keep my commandments, and live.
5 # ch. 2:2 Get wisdom; get #[See ver. 1 above]insight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
# [2 Thess. 2:10] love her, and she will guard you.
7 # [ch. 1:7] The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get #[See ver. 1 above]insight.
8Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will #1 Sam. 2:30 honor you #[Song 2:6]if you embrace her.
9She will place on your head #ch. 1:9a graceful garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
10 # [See ver. 1 above] Hear, #ch. 2:1 my son, and accept my words,
that #See ch. 3:2the years of your life may be many.
11I have #See 1 Sam. 12:23taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12When you walk, #[Job 18:7; Ps. 18:36; 119:45] your step will not be hampered,
and #ch. 3:23if you run, you will not stumble.
13 # ch. 3:18 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your #ver. 22; [John 1:4; 1 John 5:12]life.
14 # ch. 1:15; Ps. 1:1 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15Avoid it; do not go on it;
turn away from it and pass on.
16For they #[Ps. 36:4]cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness
# [Amos 2:8] and drink the wine of violence.
18But #Job 11:17; 22:28; Isa. 60:3; 62:1, 2; Dan. 12:3 the path of the righteous is like #2 Sam. 23:4; See Ps. 97:11 the light of dawn,
which shines #[Ps. 84:7] brighter and brighter until #[1 John 3:2]full day.
19 #
1 Sam. 2:9; Isa. 59:9, 10; Jer. 23:12; John 12:35; [Job 18:5] The way of the wicked is like deep #[Matt. 6:23] darkness;
they do not know over what they #[John 11:10; 1 John 2:10]stumble.
20 # ver. 10 My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
21 # ch. 3:21 Let them not escape from your sight;
# [ch. 2:1] keep them within your heart.
22For they are #ver. 13; ch. 8:35; 21:21; Deut. 32:47; [1 Tim. 4:8]life to those who find them,
and healing to all their#4:22 Hebrew his flesh.
23Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for #[Matt. 12:35] from it flow #[Ps. 16:11]the springs of life.
24Put away from you #ch. 6:12 crooked speech,
and put #ch. 2:15devious talk far from you.
25 # [Heb. 12:2] Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
26 # ch. 5:6, 21; [Heb. 12:13] Ponder#4:26 Or Make level the path of your feet;
# [Ps. 119:5] then all your ways will be sure.
27 #
Deut. 5:32; 28:14; Josh. 1:7; 1 Kgs. 15:5 Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.
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