The Proverbs

4:1 Hear, my sons, the instruction of a father,

 And attend to know understanding:

 ^4:2For I give you good doctrine;

 Forsake ye not my law.

 ^4:3For I was a son unto my father,

 Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

 ^4:4And he taught me, and said unto me:

 Let thy heart retain my words;

 Keep my commandments, and live;

 ^4:5Get wisdom, get understanding;

 Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;

 ^4:6Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee;

 Love her, and she will keep thee.

 ^4:7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom;

 Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.

 ^4:8Exalt her, and she will promote thee;

 She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.

 ^4:9She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace;

 A crown of beauty will she deliver to thee.
 
 

 ^4:10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings;

 And the years of thy life shall be many.

 ^4:11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom;

 I have led thee in paths of uprightness.

 ^4:12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened;

 And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

 ^4:13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go:

 Keep her; for she is thy life.

 ^4:14Enter not into the path of the wicked,

 And walk not in the way of evil men.

 ^4:15Avoid it, pass not by it;

 Turn from it, and pass on.

 ^4:16For they sleep not, except they do evil;

 And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

 ^4:17For they eat the bread of wickedness,

 And drink the wine of violence.

 ^4:18But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light,

 That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

 ^4:19The way of the wicked is as darkness:

 They know not at what they stumble.
 
 

 ^4:20My son, attend to my words;

 Incline thine ear unto my sayings.

 ^4:21Let them not depart from thine eyes;

 Keep them in the midst of thy heart.

 ^4:22For they are life unto those that find them,

 And health to all their flesh.

 ^4:23Keep thy heart with all diligence;

 For out of it are the issues of life.

 ^4:24Put away from thee a wayward mouth,

 And perverse lips put far from thee.

 ^4:25Let thine eyes look right on,

 And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

 ^4:26Make level the path of thy feet,

 And let all thy ways be established.

 ^4:27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left:

 Remove thy foot from evil.