Proverbs 4 · Clearspring

A Father’s Instruction

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

A Father’s Instruction

Study Proverbs 4