Proverbs 4 :: English Standard Version (ESV)

A Father’s Wise Instruction

Pro 4:1

Pro 4:1Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain[fn] insight,

Pro 4:2

Pro 4:2for I give you good precepts;
do not forsake my teaching.

Pro 4:3

Pro 4:3When I was a son with my father,
tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,

Pro 4:4

Pro 4:4he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live.

Pro 4:5

Pro 4:5Get wisdom; get insight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.

Pro 4:6

Pro 4:6Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.

Pro 4:7

Pro 4:7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get insight.

Pro 4:8

Pro 4:8Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will honor you if you embrace her.

Pro 4:9

Pro 4:9She will place on your head a graceful garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

Pro 4:10

Pro 4:10Hear, my son, and accept my words,
that the years of your life may be many.

Pro 4:11

Pro 4:11I have taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.

Pro 4:12

Pro 4:12When you walk, your step will not be hampered,
and if you run, you will not stumble.

Pro 4:13

Pro 4:13Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your life.

Pro 4:14

Pro 4:14Do not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not walk in the way of the evil.

Pro 4:15

Pro 4:15Avoid it; do not go on it;
turn away from it and pass on.

Pro 4:16

Pro 4:16For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.

Pro 4:17

Pro 4:17For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.

Pro 4:18

Pro 4:18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

Pro 4:19

Pro 4:19The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know over what they stumble.

Pro 4:20

Pro 4:20My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.

Pro 4:21

Pro 4:21Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.

Pro 4:22

Pro 4:22For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their[fn] flesh.

Pro 4:23

Pro 4:23Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.

Pro 4:24

Pro 4:24Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.

Pro 4:25

Pro 4:25Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.

Pro 4:26

Pro 4:26Ponder[fn] the path of your feet;
then all your ways will be sure.

Pro 4:27

Pro 4:27Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.

See the ESV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

ESV Footnotes

(4:1)

Hebrew know

(4:22)

Hebrew his

(4:26)

Or Make level

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