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Proverbs 4
International Children’s Bible
Proverbs 4
International Children’s Bible
Wisdom Is Important
4 My children, listen to your father’s teaching.
Pay attention so you will understand.
2 What I am telling you is good.
Do not forget what I teach you.
3 I was once a young boy in my father’s house.
I was like an only child to my mother.
4 And my father taught me and said,
“Hold on to my words with all your heart.
Keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom and understanding.
Don’t forget or ignore my words.
6 Use wisdom, and it will take care of you.
Love wisdom, and it will keep you safe.
7 Wisdom is the most important thing. So get wisdom.
If it costs everything you have, get understanding.
8 Believe in the value of wisdom, and it will make you great.
Use it, and it will bring honor to you.
9 Like flowers in your hair, it will beautify your life.
Like a crown, it will make you look beautiful.”
10 My child, listen and accept what I say.
Then you will have a long life.
11 I am guiding you in wisdom.
And I am leading you to do what is right.
12 Nothing will hold you back.
You will not be overwhelmed.
13 Always remember what you have been taught.
Don’t let go of it.
Keep safe all that you have learned.
It is the most important thing in your life.
14 Don’t follow the ways of the wicked.
Don’t do what evil people do.
15 Avoid their ways. Don’t go near what they do.
Stay away from them and keep on going.
16 They cannot sleep until they do evil.
They cannot rest until they hurt someone.
17 They fill themselves with wickedness and cruelty
as if they were eating bread and drinking wine.
18 The way of the good person is like the light of dawn.
It grows brighter and brighter until it is full daylight.
19 But the wicked are like those who stumble in the dark.
They can’t even see what has hurt them.
20 My child, pay attention to my words.
Listen closely to what I say.
21 Don’t ever forget my words.
Keep them deep within your heart.
22 These words are the secret to life for those who find them.
They bring health to the whole body.
23 Be very careful about what you think.
Your thoughts run your life.
24 Don’t use your mouth to tell lies.
Don’t ever say things that are not true.
25 Keep your eyes focused on what is right.
Keep looking straight ahead to what is good.
26 Be careful what you do.
Always do what is right.
27 Do not do anything unless it is right.
Stay away from evil.
Proverbs 4
New International Version
Proverbs 4
New International Version
Get Wisdom at Any Cost
4 Listen, my sons,(A) to a father’s instruction;(B)
pay attention and gain understanding.(C)
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold(D) of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.(E)
5 Get wisdom,(F) get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;(G)
love her, and she will watch over you.(H)
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom.
Though it cost all(I) you have,[b] get understanding.(J)
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.(K)
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.(L)”
10 Listen, my son,(M) accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.(N)
11 I instruct(O) you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.(P)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.(Q)
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.(R)
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.(S)
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;(T)
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.(U)
18 The path of the righteous(V) is like the morning sun,(W)
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.(X)
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;(Y)
they do not know what makes them stumble.(Z)
20 My son,(AA) pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.(AB)
21 Do not let them out of your sight,(AC)
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.(AD)
23 Above all else, guard(AE) your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.(AF)
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes(AG) look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet(AH)
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;(AI)
keep your foot from evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:7 Or Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
- Proverbs 4:7 Or wisdom. / Whatever else you get
- Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level
International Children’s Bible (ICB) 
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.