Proverbs 4 Comparison: Wycliffe Bible (1395) vs King James Version
Proverbs 4
1Sones, here ye the teching of the fadir; and perseiue ye, that ye kunne prudence.
2Y schal yyue to you a good yifte; forsake ye not my lawe.
3For whi and Y was the sone of my fadir, a tendir sone, and oon `gendride bifore my modir.
4And my fadir tauyte me, and seide, Thin herte resseyue my wordis; kepe thou myn heestis, and thou schalt lyue.
5Welde thou wisdom, welde thou prudence; foryete thou not, nethir bowe thou awey fro the wordis of my mouth.
6Forsake thou not it, and it schal kepe thee; loue thou it, and it schal kepe thee.
7The bigynnyng of wisdom, welde thou wisdom; and in al thi possessioun gete thou prudence.
8Take thou it, and it schal enhaunse thee; thou schalt be glorified of it, whanne thou hast biclippid it.
9It schal yyue encresyngis of graces to thin heed; and a noble coroun schal defende thee.
10Mi sone, here thou, and take my wordis; that the yeris of lijf be multiplied to thee.
11Y schal schewe to thee the weie of wisdom; and Y schal lede thee bi the pathis of equyte.
12In to whiche whanne thou hast entrid, thi goyngis schulen not be maad streit; and thou schalt rennen, and schalt not haue hirtyng.
13Holde thou teching, and forsake it not; kepe thou it, for it is thi lijf.
14Delite thou not in the pathis of wyckid men; and the weie of yuele men plese not thee.
15Fle thou fro it, and passe thou not therbi; bowe thou awei, and forsake it.
16For thei slepen not, `no but thei han do yuele; and sleep is rauyschid fro hem, no but thei han disseyued.
17Thei eten the breed of vnpite, and drinken the wyn of wickidnesse.
18But the path of iust men goith forth as liyt schynynge, and encreessith til to perfit dai.
19The weie of wickid men is derk; thei witen not where thei schulen falle.
20Mi sone, herkene thou my wordis; and bowe doun thin eeris to my spechis.
21Go not tho awei fro thyn iyen; kepe thou hem in the myddil of thin herte.
22For tho ben lijf to men fyndynge thoo, and heelthe `of al fleisch.
23With al keping kepe thin herte, for lijf cometh forth of it.
24Remoue thou a schrewid mouth fro thee; and backbitynge lippis be fer fro thee.
25Thin iyen se riytful thingis; and thin iyeliddis go bifore thi steppis.
26Dresse thou pathis to thi feet, and alle thi weies schulen be stablischid.
27Bowe thou not to the riytside, nether to the leftside; turne awei thi foot fro yuel. For the Lord knowith the weies that ben at the riytside; but the weies ben weiward, that ben at the leftside. Forsothe he schal make thi goyngis riytful; and thi weies schulen be brouyt forth in pees.
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.
Understanding Wycliffe Bible (1395) vs King James Version in Proverbs 4
Wycliffe Bible (1395) (Wycliffe)
The first complete English translation of the Bible (1395) by John Wycliffe and his followers. Translated from the Latin Vulgate. A landmark in English history and the Reformation.
King James Version (KJV)
The classic 1611 English translation known for its majestic prose and literary influence. Ideal for traditional study and memorization thanks to its formal style. A foundational English Bible used for centuries.
You are viewing a side-by-side comparison of Proverbs 4 in the Wycliffe Bible (1395) and King James Version. Comparing these two versions can help shed light on the nuances of the original text.
Key Comparison: Proverbs 4:16
"For thei slepen not, `no but thei han do yuele; and sleep is rauyschid fro hem, no but thei han disseyued."
"For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall."
