| Chapter 4 |
1 | Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
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2 | For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.
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3 | For, a son I have been to my father -- tender, And an only one before my mother.
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4 | And he directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
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5 | Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
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6 | Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.
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7 | The first thing [is] wisdom -- get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.
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8 | Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.
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9 | She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.
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10 | Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to thee.
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11 | In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.
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12 | In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.
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13 | Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.
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14 | Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.
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15 | Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
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16 | For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.
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17 | For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.
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18 | And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,
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19 | The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
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20 | My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,
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21 | Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.
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22 | For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
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23 | Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
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24 | Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,
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25 | Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.
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26 | Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.
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27 | Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!
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