Proverbs 4

¹Heare, O ye children, the instruction of a father, and giue eare to learne vnderstanding.

²For I doe giue you a good doctrine: therefore forsake yee not my lawe.

³For I was my fathers sonne, tender and deare in the sight of my mother,

⁴When he taught me, and sayde vnto me, Let thine heart holde fast my woordes: keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue.

⁵Get wisedom: get vnderstading: forget not, neither decline from the woordes of my mouth.

⁶Forsake her not, and shee shall keepe thee: loue her and shee shall preserue thee.

⁷Wisedome is the beginning: get wisedome therefore: and aboue all thy possession get vnderstanding.

⁸Exalt her, and she shall exalt thee: she shall bring thee to honour, if thou embrace her.

⁹She shall giue a comely ornamet vnto thine head, yea, she shall giue thee a crowne of glorie.

¹⁰Heare, my sonne, and receiue my wordes, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe many.

¹¹I haue taught thee in ye way of wisedom, and led thee in the pathes of righteousnesse.

¹²Whe thou goest, thy gate shall not be strait, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall.

¹³Take holde of instruction, and leaue not: keepe her, for shee is thy life.

¹⁴Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of euill men.

¹⁵Auoide it, and goe not by it: turne from it, and passe by.

¹⁶For they can not sleepe, except they haue done euill, and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall.

¹⁷For they eate the breade of wickednesse, and drinke the wine of violence.

¹⁸But the way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfite day.

¹⁹The way of the wicked is as the darkenes: they knowe not wherein they shall fall.

²⁰My sonne, hearken vnto my wordes, incline thine eare vnto my sayings.

²¹Let them not depart from thine eyes, but keepe them in the middes of thine heart.

²²For they are life vnto those that find them, and health vnto all their flesh.

²³Keepe thine heart with all diligence: for thereout commeth life.

²⁴Put away from thee a froward mouth, and put wicked lippes farre from thee.

²⁵Let thine eyes beholde the right, and let thine eyelids direct thy way before thee.

²⁶Ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy waies be ordred aright.

²⁷Turne not to the right hande, nor to the left, but remooue thy foote from euill.

Proverbs 4

¹Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

²For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

³For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

⁴He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

⁵Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

⁶Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

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

⁸Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

⁹She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

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

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

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

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

¹⁴Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

¹⁵Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

¹⁶For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

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

¹⁸But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

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

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

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

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

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

²⁴Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

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

²⁶Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

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