Proverbs 4 – search, read, and compare multiple versions of the Bible
World English Bible Classic
[1] Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction.
Pay attention and know understanding;
[2] for I give you sound learning.
Don’t forsake my law.
[3] For I was a son to my father,
tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
[4] He taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words.
Keep my commandments, and live.
[5] Get wisdom.
Get understanding.
Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
[6] Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you.
Love her, and she will keep you.
[7] Wisdom is supreme.
Get wisdom.
Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
[8] Esteem her, and she will exalt you.
She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
[9] She will give to your head a garland of grace.
She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.” [10] Listen, my son, and receive my sayings.
The years of your life will be many.
[11] I have taught you in the way of wisdom.
I have led you in straight paths.
[12] When you go, your steps will not be hampered.
When you run, you will not stumble.
[13] Take firm hold of instruction.
Don’t let her go.
Keep her, for she is your life.
[14] Don’t enter into the path of the wicked.
Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
[15] Avoid it, and don’t pass by it.
Turn from it, and pass on.
[16] For they don’t sleep unless they do evil.
Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
[17] For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
[18] But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light
that shines more and more until the perfect day.
[19] The way of the wicked is like darkness.
They don’t know what they stumble over. [20] My son, attend to my words.
Turn your ear to my sayings.
[21] Let them not depart from your eyes.
Keep them in the center of your heart.
[22] For they are life to those who find them,
and health to their whole body.
[23] Keep your heart with all diligence,
for out of it is the wellspring of life.
[24] Put away from yourself a perverse mouth.
Put corrupt lips far from you.
[25] Let your eyes look straight ahead.
Fix your gaze directly before you.
[26] Make the path of your feet level.
Let all of your ways be established.
[27] Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left.
Remove your foot from evil.
Pay attention and know understanding;
[2] for I give you sound learning.
Don’t forsake my law.
[3] For I was a son to my father,
tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
[4] He taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words.
Keep my commandments, and live.
[5] Get wisdom.
Get understanding.
Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
[6] Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you.
Love her, and she will keep you.
[7] Wisdom is supreme.
Get wisdom.
Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
[8] Esteem her, and she will exalt you.
She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
[9] She will give to your head a garland of grace.
She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.” [10] Listen, my son, and receive my sayings.
The years of your life will be many.
[11] I have taught you in the way of wisdom.
I have led you in straight paths.
[12] When you go, your steps will not be hampered.
When you run, you will not stumble.
[13] Take firm hold of instruction.
Don’t let her go.
Keep her, for she is your life.
[14] Don’t enter into the path of the wicked.
Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
[15] Avoid it, and don’t pass by it.
Turn from it, and pass on.
[16] For they don’t sleep unless they do evil.
Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
[17] For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
[18] But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light
that shines more and more until the perfect day.
[19] The way of the wicked is like darkness.
They don’t know what they stumble over. [20] My son, attend to my words.
Turn your ear to my sayings.
[21] Let them not depart from your eyes.
Keep them in the center of your heart.
[22] For they are life to those who find them,
and health to their whole body.
[23] Keep your heart with all diligence,
for out of it is the wellspring of life.
[24] Put away from yourself a perverse mouth.
Put corrupt lips far from you.
[25] Let your eyes look straight ahead.
Fix your gaze directly before you.
[26] Make the path of your feet level.
Let all of your ways be established.
[27] Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left.
Remove your foot from evil.
King James Version
A Father’s Instruction
[1] Hear, H8085 (QalImpv) ye children, H1121 the instruction H4148 of a father, H1And attend H7181 (HiphImpv) to know H3045 (QalInf) understanding. H998
[2] For I give H5414 (QalPerf) you good H2896 doctrine, H3948
Forsake H5800 (QalImpf) ye not my law. H8451
[3] For I was my father’s H1 son, H1121
Tender H7390 and only H3173 beloved in the sight H6440 of my mother. H517
[4] He taught H3384 (HiphImpf) me also, and said H559 (QalImpf) unto me,
Let thine heart H3820 retain H8551 (QalImpf) my words: H1697
Keep H8104 (QalImpv) my commandments, H4687 and live. H2421 (QalImpv)
[5] Get H7069 (QalImpv) wisdom, H2451 get H7069 (QalImpv) understanding: H998
Forget H7911 (QalImpf) it not; neither decline H5186 (QalImpf) from the words H561 of my mouth. H6310
[6] Forsake H5800 (QalImpf) her not, and she shall preserve H8104 (QalImpf) thee:
Love H157 (QalImpv) her, and she shall keep H5341 (QalImpf) thee.
[7] Wisdom H2451 is the principal thing; H7225 therefore get H7069 (QalImpv) wisdom: H2451
And with all thy getting H7075 get understanding. H998
[8] Exalt H5549 (PilpImpv) her, and she shall promote H7311 (PoleImpf) thee:
She shall bring thee to honour, H3513 (PielImpf) when thou dost embrace H2263 (PielImpf) her.
[9] She shall give H5414 (QalImpf) to thine head H7218 an ornament H3880 of grace: H2580
A crown H5850 of glory H8597 shall she deliver H4042 (PielImpf) to thee.§
[10] Hear, H8085 (QalImpv) O my son, H1121 and receive H3947 (QalImpv) my sayings; H561
And the years H8141 of thy life H2416 shall be many. H7235 (QalImpf)
[11] I have taught H3384 (HiphPerf) thee in the way H1870 of wisdom; H2451
I have led H1869 (HiphPerf) thee in right H3476 paths. H4570
[12] When thou goest, H3212 (QalInf) thy steps H6806 shall not be straitened; H3334 (QalImpf)
And when thou runnest, H7323 (QalImpf) thou shalt not stumble. H3782 (NiphImpf)
[13] Take fast hold H2388 (HiphImpv) of instruction; H4148 let her not go: H7503 (HiphImpf)
Keep H5341 (QalImpv) her; for she is thy life. H2416
[14] Enter H935 (QalImpf) not into the path H734 of the wicked, H7563
And go H833 (PielImpf) not in the way H1870 of evil H7451 men.
[15] Avoid H6544 (QalImpv) it, pass H5674 (QalImpf) not by it,
Turn H7847 (QalImpv) from it, and pass away. H5674 (QalImpv)
[16] For they sleep H3462 (QalImpf) not, except they have done mischief; H7489 (HiphImpf)
And their sleep H8142 is taken away, H1497 (NiphPerf) unless they cause some to fall. H3782 (HiphImpf/Qere) [17] For they eat H3898 (QalPerf) the bread H3899 of wickedness, H7562
And drink H8354 (QalImpf) the wine H3196 of violence. H2555
[18] But the path H734 of the just H6662 is as the shining H5051 light, H216
That shineth H215 (QalPerf) more H1980 (QalActPtc) and more unto the perfect H3559 (NiphPtc) day. H3117
[19] The way H1870 of the wicked H7563 is as darkness: H653
They know H3045 (QalPerf) not at what they stumble. H3782 (NiphImpf)
[20] My son, H1121 attend H7181 (HiphImpv) to my words; H1697
Incline H5186 (HiphImpv) thine ear H241 unto my sayings. H561
[21] Let them not depart H3868 (HiphImpf) from thine eyes; H5869
Keep H8104 (QalImpv) them in the midst H8432 of thine heart. H3824
[22] For they are life H2416 unto those that find H4672 (QalActPtc) them,
And health§ H4832 to all their flesh. H1320
[23] Keep H5341 (QalImpv) thy heart H3820 with all diligence; H4929§
For out of it are the issues H8444 of life. H2416
[24] Put away H5493 (HiphImpv) from thee a froward H6143 mouth, H6310
And perverse H3891 lips H8193§ put far H7368 (HiphImpv) from thee.
[25] Let thine eyes H5869 look H5027 (HiphImpf) right on, H5227
And let thine eyelids H6079 look straight H3474 (HiphImpf) before thee.
[26] Ponder H6424 (PielImpv) the path H4570 of thy feet, H7272
And let all thy ways H1870 be established. H3559 (NiphImpf)§
[27] Turn H5186 (QalImpf) not to the right hand H3225 nor to the left: H8040
Remove H5493 (HiphImpv) thy foot H7272 from evil. H7451
Footnotes
- § 4:9 Or, she shall compass thee with a crown of glory
- § 4:22 Heb. medicine
- § 4:23 Heb. above all keeping
- § 4:24 Heb. frowardness of mouth and perverseness of lips
- § 4:26 Or, all thy ways shall be ordered aright
Byzantine Greek New Testament
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