Proverbs 4

Your Life Is at Stake

1-2 Listen, friends, to some fatherly advice; sit up and take notice so you'll know how to live. I'm giving you good counsel; don't let it go in one ear and out the other.
3-9 When I was a boy at my father's knee, the pride and joy of my mother, He would sit me down and drill me: "Take this to heart. Do what I tell you—live! Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding! Don't forget one word! Don't deviate an inch! Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life; love her—she keeps her eye on you. Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom! Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding! Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won't regret it; never let her go—she'll make your life glorious. She'll garland your life with grace, she'll festoon your days with beauty."
10-15 Dear friend, take my advice; it will add years to your life. I'm writing out clear directions to Wisdom Way, I'm drawing a map to Righteous Road. I don't want you ending up in blind alleys, or wasting time making wrong turns. Hold tight to good advice; don't relax your grip. Guard it well—your life is at stake! Don't take Wicked Bypass; don't so much as set foot on that road. Stay clear of it; give it a wide berth. Make a detour and be on your way.
16-17 Evil people are restless unless they're making trouble; They can't get a good night's sleep unless they've made life miserable for somebody. Perversity is their food and drink, violence their drug of choice.
18-19 The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine. But the road of wrongdoing gets darker and darker— travelers can't see a thing; they fall flat on their faces.

Learn It by Heart

20-22 Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health.
23-27 Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts. Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.

Proverbs 4

1 Hear, my sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding:

2 For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law.

3 For I was a son unto my father, Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

4 And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live;

5 Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;

6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee.

7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.

8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.

9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; A crown of beauty will she deliver to thee.

10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many.

11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.

12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: Keep her; for she is thy life.

14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men.

15 Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on.

16 For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.

18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble.

20 My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart.

22 For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.

23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.

24 Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.

25 Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

26 Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.

27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.