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Cherish Wisdom

Sons,
    listen to your father’s discipline,
        and pay attention in order to gain understanding.
After all, I have taught you well.
    Do not abandon my teachings.
When I was a boy learning from my father,
    when I was a tender and only child of my mother,
they used to teach me and say to me,
    “Cling to my words wholeheartedly.
        Obey my commands so that you may live.
Acquire wisdom.
    Acquire understanding.
        Do not forget.
            Do not turn away from the words that I have spoken.
Do not abandon wisdom, and it will watch over you.
    Love wisdom, and it will protect you.
The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom.
    Acquire understanding with all that you have.
Cherish wisdom.
    It will raise you up.
        It will bring you honor when you embrace it.
It will give you a graceful garland for your head.
    It will hand you a beautiful crown.”

Stay on the Path of Wisdom

10 My son,
    listen and accept my words,
        and they will multiply the years of your life.
11 I have taught you the way of wisdom.
    I have guided you along decent paths.
12 When you walk, your stride will not be hampered.
    Even if you run, you will not stumble.

13 Cling to discipline.
    Do not relax your grip on it.
        Keep it because it is your life.
14 Do not stray onto the path of wicked people.
    Do not walk in the way of evil people.
15 Avoid it.
    Do not walk near it.
        Turn away from it,
            and keep on walking.
16 Wicked people cannot sleep
    unless they do wrong,
        and they are robbed of their sleep
            unless they make someone stumble.
17 They eat food obtained through wrongdoing
    and drink wine obtained through violence.

18 But the path of righteous people is like the light of dawn
    that becomes brighter and brighter until it reaches midday.
19 The way of wicked people is like deep darkness.
    They do not know what makes them stumble.

Stay Focused on Wisdom

20 My son,
    pay attention to my words.
    Open your ears to what I say.
21 Do not lose sight of these things.
    Keep them deep within your heart
22 because they are life to those who find them
    and they heal the whole body.
23 Guard your heart more than anything else,
    because the source of your life flows from it.
24 Remove dishonesty from your mouth.
    Put deceptive speech far away from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead
    and your sight be focused in front of you.
26 Carefully walk a straight path,
    and all your ways will be secure.
27 Do not lean to the right or to the left.
    Walk away from evil.

Get Wisdom at Any Cost

Listen, my sons,(A) to a father’s instruction;(B)
    pay attention and gain understanding.(C)
I give you sound learning,
    so do not forsake my teaching.
For I too was a son to my father,
    still tender, and cherished by my mother.
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)
Get wisdom,(F) get understanding;
    do not forget my words or turn away from them.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;(G)
    love her, and she will watch over you.(H)
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom.
    Though it cost all(I) you have,[b] get understanding.(J)
Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
    embrace her, and she will honor you.(K)
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

  1. Proverbs 4:7 Or Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
  2. Proverbs 4:7 Or wisdom. / Whatever else you get
  3. Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level