Provérbios 4

A Father’s Wise Instruction

1 *ch. 1:8;[ch. 5:7;7:24;8:33;Ps. 34:11] Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,

and be attentive, that you may *ch. 2:2gain*4:1 Hebrew know insight,

2 for I give you good *Job 11:4precepts;

do not forsake my teaching.

3 When I was a son with my father,

*See 1 Chr. 22:5tender, *Zech. 12:10the only one in the sight of my mother,

4 he *1 Chr. 28:9;[Eph. 6:4] taught me and said to me,

*[ch. 3:1] "Let your heart hold fast my words;

*ch. 7:2;Lev. 18:5;Isa. 55:3keep my commandments, and live.

5 *ch. 2:2Get wisdom; get *[See ver. 1above]insight;

do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.

6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;

*[2 Thess. 2:10]love her, and she will guard you.

7 *[ch. 1:7] The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,

and whatever you get, get *[See ver. 1above]insight.

8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;

she will *1 Sam. 2:30honor you *[Song 2:6]if you embrace her.

9 She will place on your head *ch. 1:9a graceful garland;

she will bestow on you a beautiful crown."

10 *[See ver. 1above] Hear, *ch. 2:1my son, and accept my words,

that *See ch. 3:2the years of your life may be many.

11 I have *See 1 Sam. 12:23taught you the way of wisdom;

I have led you in the paths of uprightness.

12 When you walk, *[Job 18:7;Ps. 18:36;119:45] your step will not be hampered,

and *ch. 3:23if you run, you will not stumble.

13 *ch. 3:18Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;

guard her, for she is your *ver. 22;[John 1:4;1 John 5:12]life.

14 *ch. 1:15;Ps. 1:1Do not enter the path of the wicked,

and do not walk in the way of the evil.

15 Avoid it; do not go on it;

turn away from it and pass on.

16 For they *[Ps. 36:4]cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;

they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness

*[Amos 2:8]and drink the wine of violence.

18 But *Job 11:17;22:28;Isa. 60:3;62:1,2;Dan. 12:3the path of the righteous is like *2 Sam. 23:4;See Ps. 97:11the light of dawn,

which shines *[Ps. 84:7] brighter and brighter until *[1 John 3:2]full day.

19 *1 Sam. 2:9;Isa. 59:9,10;Jer. 23:12;John 12:35;[Job 18:5] The way of the wicked is like deep *[Matt. 6:23] darkness;

they do not know over what they *[John 11:10;1 John 2:10]stumble.

20 *ver. 10My son, be attentive to my words;

incline your ear to my sayings.

21 *ch. 3:21Let them not escape from your sight;

*[ch. 2:1]keep them within your heart.

22 For they are *ver. 13;ch. 8:35;21:21;Deut. 32:47;[1 Tim. 4:8]life to those who find them,

and healing to all their*4:22 Hebrew his flesh.

23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,

for *[Matt. 12:35] from it flow *[Ps. 16:11]the springs of life.

24 Put away from you *ch. 6:12crooked speech,

and put *ch. 2:15devious talk far from you.

25 *[Heb. 12:2]Let your eyes look directly forward,

and your gaze be straight before you.

26 *ch. 5:6,21;[Heb. 12:13] Ponder*4:26 Or Make level the path of your feet;

*[Ps. 119:5]then all your ways will be sure.

27 *Deut. 5:32;28:14;Josh. 1:7;1 Kgs. 15:5Do not swerve to the right or to the left;

turn your foot away from evil.