4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a
father, and attend to know understanding.
4:2 For I give you a good gift; forsake ye not my law.
4:3 For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of
[my] mother:
4:4 who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in thine
heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
4:5 and do not neglect the speech of my mouth. [for continuation, see
Appendix]
4:6 And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: love it, and it shall
keep thee.
4:7
4:8 Secure it, and it shall exalt thee: honour it, that it may embrace thee;
4:9 that it may give unto thy head a crown of graces, and may cover thee
with a crown of delight.
4:10 Her, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of thy life shall be
increased, that the resources of thy life may be many.
4:11 For I teach thee the ways of wisdom; and I cause thee to go in right
paths.
4:12 For when thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou
runnest, thou shalt not be distressed.
4:13 Take hold of my instruction; let it not go,-- but keep it for thyself
for thy life.
4:14 Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of
transgressors.
4:15 In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not thither; but turn
from them, and pass away.
4:16 For they cannot sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken
away, and they rest not.
4:17 For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine
of transgression.
4:18 But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine,
until the day be fully come.
4:19 But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
4:20 [My] son, attend to my speech; and apply thine ear to my words:
4:21 that thy fountains may not fail thee; keep them in [thine] heart.
4:22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all [their]
flesh.
4:23 Keep thine heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues
of life.
4:24 Remove from thee a froward mouth, and put far away from thee unjust
lips.
4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids assent [to] just
[things].
4:26 Make straight paths for thy feet, and order thy ways aright.
4:27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away thy
foot from an evil way: [for God knows the ways on the right hand, but those
on the left are crooked:] and he will make thy ways straight, and will guide
thy steps in peace. |
4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a
father, and attend to know understanding.
4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
4:3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my
mother.
4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words:
keep my commandments, and live.
4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the
words of my mouth.
4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall
keep thee.
4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy
getting get understanding.
4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour,
when thou dost embrace her.
4:9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory
shall she deliver to thee.
4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall
be many.
4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right
paths.
4:12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou
runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy
life.
4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil
men.
4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is
taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and
more unto the perfect day.
4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they
stumble.
4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine
heart.
4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their
flesh.
4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of
life.
4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from
thee.
4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight
before thee.
4:26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. |