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