Jewish Publication Society Bible: Proverbs: Proverbs Chapter 4
4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
4:2 For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.
4:3 For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother.
4:4 And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;
4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding; forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
4:6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; love her, and she will keep thee.
4:7 The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
4:8 Extol her, and she will exalt thee; she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
4:9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee.'
4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
4:12 When thou goest, thy step shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
4:13 Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.
4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.
4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
4:18 But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.
4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.
4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
4:23 Above all that thou guardest keep thy heart; for out of it are the issues of life.
4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
4:26 Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.