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Proverbs 4 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

A Father’s Wise Advice
Pro 4:1My children,[fn] listen when your father corrects you.
Pay attention and learn good judgment,
Pro 4:2for I am giving you good guidance.
Don’t turn away from my instructions.
Pro 4:3For I, too, was once my father’s son,
tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.
Pro 4:4My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
Follow my commands, and you will live.
Pro 4:5Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
Pro 4:6Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
Pro 4:7Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
Pro 4:8If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
Embrace her, and she will honor you.
Pro 4:9She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
she will present you with a beautiful crown.”
Pro 4:10My child,[fn] listen to me and do as I say,
and you will have a long, good life.
Pro 4:11I will teach you wisdom’s ways
and lead you in straight paths.
Pro 4:12When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble.
Pro 4:13Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
Guard them, for they are the key to life.
Pro 4:14Don’t do as the wicked do,
and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
Pro 4:15Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
Turn away and keep moving.
Pro 4:16For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
Pro 4:17They eat the food of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence!
Pro 4:18The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
Pro 4:19But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
They have no idea what they are stumbling over.
Pro 4:20My child, pay attention to what I say.
Listen carefully to my words.
Pro 4:21Don’t lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
Pro 4:22for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.
Pro 4:23Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
Pro 4:24Avoid all perverse talk;
stay away from corrupt speech.
Pro 4:25Look straight ahead,
and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
Pro 4:26Mark out a straight path for your feet;
stay on the safe path.
Pro 4:27Don’t get sidetracked;
keep your feet from following evil.
NLT Footnotes
Hebrew My sons.
Hebrew My son; also in 4:20.
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Proverbs Chapter 4 — Additional Translations: