Proverbs 4

MLV(i) 1 Hear sons, the instruction of a father and attend to know understanding. 2 Because I give you* good doctrine. Do not forsake my law.
3 Because I was a son to my father, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4 And he taught me and said to me, Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding. Do not forget, nor decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her and she will preserve you. Love her and she will keep you.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing. Get wisdom, yes, get understanding with all your substance.
8 Exalt her and she will promote you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
9 She will give to your head a wreath of beauty and of charm; she will deliver a crown of beauty to you.
10 Hear, O my son and receive my sayings and the years of your life will be many. 11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in paths of uprightness. 12 When you go, your steps will not be restricted. And if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, because she is your life.
14 Do not enter into the path of the wicked and do not advance in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it. Do not pass by it. Turn from it and pass on.
16 Because they do not sleep unless they do evil. And their sleep is taken away unless they cause you to fall. 17 Because they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, that shines more and more to the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness. They do not know at what they stumble.
20 My son, attend to my words. Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart. 22 Because they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all diligence, because out of it are the things of life.
24 Put away from you a wayward mouth and put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look right on and let your eyelids look straight before you. 26 Make the path of your feet level and let all your ways be established. 27 Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.