4:1 Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding. |
4:2 For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not. |
4:3 For, a son I have been to my father -- tender, And an only one before my mother. |
4:4 And he directeth me, and he saith to me: `Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live. |
4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth. |
4:6 Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee. |
4:7 The first thing `is' wisdom -- get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding. |
4:8 Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her. |
4:9 She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely. |
4:10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life `are' multiplied to thee. |
4:11 In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness. |
4:12 In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not. |
4:13 Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she `is' thy life. |
4:14 Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers. |
4:15 Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on. |
4:16 For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not `some' to stumble. |
4:17 For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink. |
4:18 And the path of the righteous `is' as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established, |
4:19 The way of the wicked `is' as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble. |
4:20 My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear, |
4:21 Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart. |
4:22 For life they `are' to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing. |
4:23 Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it `are' the outgoings of life. |
4:24 Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee, |
4:25 Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee. |
4:26 Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways `are' established. |
4:27 Incline not `to' the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil! |