Proverbs 4
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1My children, listen when your father corrects you. Pay attention and learn good judgment,1Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
2for I am giving you good guidance. Don’t turn away from my instructions.2for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.
3For I, too, was once my father’s son, tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.3When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
4My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live.4he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.
5Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.5Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you.6Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.
7Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.
8If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you.8Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
9She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.”9She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
10My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life.10Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.
11I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths.11I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble.12When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble.
13Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life.13Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.
14Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers.14Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving.15Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.
16For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day. They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.16For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence!17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
19But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.19The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
20My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words.20My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart,21Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.
22for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.22For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
23Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.23Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
24Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech.24Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.
25Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.25Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
26Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.26Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.
27Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.27Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 3
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