The Word Am I

The Proverbs

⭑ World English Bible Catholic :: King James Version ⭑

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- Chapter 4 -

An admonition of a father to his son. Acquiring wisdom

1
Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
2
for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
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For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
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He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
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Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
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Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
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Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
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Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
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She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”

The way of the wise and the way of the unrighteous

10
Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
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I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
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When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
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Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
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Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
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Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
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For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
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For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
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But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
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The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.

A father's admonition

20
My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
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Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.
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For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
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Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
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Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
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Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
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Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
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Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.

An admonition of a father to his son. Acquiring wisdom

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 unto me, Let thine 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 honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9
She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.(a)

The way of the wise and the way of the unrighteous

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 unto the perfect day.
19
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

A father's admonition

20
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
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Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
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For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.(b)
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Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.(c)
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Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.(d)
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Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
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Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.(e)
27
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Footnotes

(a)4:9 a crown…: or, she shall compass thee with a crown of glory
(b)4:22 health: Heb. medicine
(c)4:23 with…: Heb. above all keeping
(d)4:24 a froward…: Heb. frowardness of mouth and perverseness of lips
(e)4:26 let…: or, all thy ways shall be ordered aright
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