4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend
to know understanding.
4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
4:3 For I was my father's son, tender and only [beloved] in the
sight of my mother.
4:4 He taught me also, and said to me, Let thy heart retain my
words: keep my commandments, and live.
4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither
decline from the words of my mouth.
4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and
she shall keep thee.
4:7 Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and
with all thy getting get understanding.
4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee
to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
4:9 She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace: a crown of
glory shall she deliver to thee.
4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of
thy life shall be many.
4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in
right paths.
4:12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and
when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let [her] not go: keep her;
for she [is] thy life.
4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the
way of evil [men].
4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and
their sleep is taken away, unless they cause [some] to fall.
4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of
violence.
4:18 But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that
shineth more and more to the perfect day.
4:19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness: they know not at
what they stumble.
4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thy ear to my sayings.
4:21 Let them not depart from thy eyes; keep them in the midst
of thy heart.
4:22 For they [are] life to those that find them, and health to
all their flesh.
4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the
issues of life.
4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put
far from thee.
4:25 Let thy eyes look right on, and let thy eyelids look
straight before thee.
4:26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be
established.
4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot
from evil.
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