Berean Standard Bible

Proverbs 4

1ListenH8085, my sonsH1121, to a father’sH1 instructionH4148; pay attentionH7181 and gainH3045 understandingH998.2ForH3588 I giveH5414 you soundH2896 teachingH3948; do notH408 abandonH5800 my directiveH8451.3WhenH3588 I wasH1961 a sonH1121 to my fatherH1, tenderH7390 and the only childH3173 ofH6440 my motherH517,4he taughtH3384 me and saidH559, “Let your heartH3820 lay holdH8551 of my wordsH1697; keepH8104 my commandsH4687 and you will liveH2421.5GetH7069 wisdomH2451, getH7069 understandingH998; do notH408 forgetH7911 H408 my wordsH561 H6310 or turn from themH5186.6Do notH408 forsakeH5800 wisdom, and she will preserve youH8104; love herH157, and she will guard youH5341.7WisdomH2451 is supremeH7225; so acquireH7069 wisdomH2451. And whateverH3605 you may acquireH7075,1 gainH7069 understandingH998.8Prize herH5549, and she will exalt youH7311; ifH3588 you embrace herH2263, she will honor youH3513.9She will setH5414 a garlandH3880 of graceH2580 on your headH7218; she will present youH4042 with a crownH5850 of beautyH8597.”

10ListenH8085, my sonH1121, and receiveH3947 my wordsH561,and the yearsH8141 of your lifeH2416 will be manyH7235.11I will guide youH3384 in the wayH1870 of wisdomH2451;I will lead youH1869 on straightH3476 pathsH4570.12When you walkH1980, your stepsH6806 will notH3808 be impededH3334;whenH518 you runH7323, you will notH3808 stumbleH3782.13Hold onH2388 to instructionH4148; do notH408 let goH7503.Guard itH5341, forH3588 itH1931 is your lifeH2416.14Do notH408 set footH935 on the pathH734 of the wickedH7563or walkH833 in the wayH1870 of evildoersH7451.15Avoid itH6544; do notH408 travelH5674 on it.TurnH7847 from itH5921 and pass on byH5674.16ForH3588 they cannotH3808 sleepH3462unlessH518 H3808 they do evilH7489;they are deprivedH1497 of slumberH8142untilH518 H3808 they make someone fallH3782.17ForH3588 they eatH3898 the breadH3899 of wickednessH7562and drinkH8354 the wineH3196 of violenceH2555.18The pathH734 of the righteousH6662 is like the first gleamH216 H215 of dawnH5051,shining brighterH1980 and brighter untilH5704 middayH3559 H3117.19But the wayH1870 of the wickedH7563 is like the darkest gloomH653;they do notH3808 knowH3045 whatH4100 makes them stumbleH3782.

20My sonH1121, pay attentionH7181 to my wordsH1697;inclineH5186 your earH241 to my sayingsH561.21Do notH408 loseH3868 sight of themH5869;keep themH8104 withinH8432 your heartH3824.22ForH3588 theyH1992 are lifeH2416 to those who find themH4672,and healthH4832 to the wholeH3605 bodyH1320.23GuardH5341 your heartH3820 with allH3605 diligenceH4929,forH3588 from itH4480 flowH8444 springs of lifeH2416.24PutH5493 awayH4480 deceptionH6143 from your mouthH6310;keepH7368 H4480 your lipsH8193 from perverse speechH3891.25Let your eyesH5869 lookH5027 forwardH5227;fix your gazeH6079 straightH3474 aheadH5048.26Make a levelH6424 pathH4570 for your feetH7272,2and allH3605 your waysH1870 will be sureH3559.27Do notH408 swerveH5186 to the rightH3225 or to the leftH8040;turnH5493 your feet awayH7272 from evilH7451.

Notes

1. Proverbs 4:7 Or And whatever else you acquire ↩
2. Proverbs 4:26 Or Ponder the path for your feet; LXX Make straight paths for your feet; cited in Hebrews 12:13 ↩