Proverbs 4

NASB

Proverbs 4

A Father’s Instruction

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Hear, O sons, the ^(A)instruction of a father,
And ^(B)give attention that you may ^(a)gain understanding,

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For I give you ^(b)sound ^(C)teaching;
^(D)Do not abandon my ^(c)instruction.

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When I was a son to my father,
^(E)Tender and ^(F)the only son in the sight of my mother,

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Then he ^(G)taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart ^(H)hold fast my words;
^(I)Keep my commandments and live;

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^(J)Acquire wisdom! ^(K)Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

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“Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;
^(L)Love her, and she will watch over you.

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“^(M)The ^(d)beginning of wisdom is: ^(N)Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, get understanding.

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“^(O)Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.

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“She will place ^(P)on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

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Hear, my son, and ^(Q)accept my sayings
And the ^(R)years of your life will be many.

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I have ^(S)directed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.

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When you walk, your ^(T)steps will not be impeded;
And if you run, you ^(U)will not stumble.

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^(V)Take hold of instruction; do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your ^(W)life.

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^(X)Do not enter the path of the wicked
And do not proceed in the way of evil men.

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Avoid it, do not pass by it;
Turn away from it and pass on.

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For they ^(Y)cannot sleep unless they do evil;
And ^(e)they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.

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For they ^(Z)eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of violence.

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But the ^(AA)path of the righteous is like the ^(AB)light of dawn,
That ^(AC)shines brighter and brighter until the ^(AD)full day.

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The ^(AE)way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know over what they ^(f)^(AF)stumble.

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My son, ^(AG)give attention to my words;
^(AH)Incline your ear to my sayings.

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^(AI)Do not let them depart from your sight;
^(AJ)Keep them in the midst of your heart.

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For they are ^(AK)life to those who find them
And ^(AL)health to all ^(g)their body.

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Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For ^(AM)from it flow the springs of life.

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Put away from you a ^(AN)deceitful mouth
And ^(AO)put devious ^(h)speech far from you.

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Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your ⁽ⁱ⁾gaze be fixed straight in front of you.

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^(AP)Watch the path of your feet
And all your ^(AQ)ways will be established.

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^(AR)Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
^(AS)Turn your foot from evil.

Footnotes:

a. Proverbs 4:1: ['Lit ', know]

b. Proverbs 4:2: ['Lit ', good]

c. Proverbs 4:2: ['Or ', law]

d. Proverbs 4:7: ['Or ', the primary thing is wisdom]

e. Proverbs 4:16: ['Lit ', their sleep is robbed]

f. Proverbs 4:19: ['Or ', may stumble]

g. Proverbs 4:22: ['Lit ', his]

h. Proverbs 4:24: ['Or ', lips]

i. Proverbs 4:25: ['Or ', eyelids]

Cross references:

A. Proverbs 4:1: Psalm 34:11; Proverbs 1:8

B. Proverbs 4:1: Proverbs 1:2; Proverbs 2:2

C. Proverbs 4:2: Deuteronomy 32:2; Job 11:4

D. Proverbs 4:2: Psalm 89:30; Psalm 119:87; Proverbs 3:1

E. Proverbs 4:3: 1 Chronicles 22:5; 1 Chronicles 29:1

F. Proverbs 4:3: Zechariah 12:10

G. Proverbs 4:4: Ephesians 6:4

H. Proverbs 4:4: Psalm 119:168

I. Proverbs 4:4: Proverbs 7:2

J. Proverbs 4:5: Proverbs 4:7

K. Proverbs 4:5: Proverbs 16:16

L. Proverbs 4:6: 2 Thessalonians 2:10

M. Proverbs 4:7: Proverbs 8:23

N. Proverbs 4:7: Proverbs 23:23

O. Proverbs 4:8: 1 Samuel 2:30

P. Proverbs 4:9: Proverbs 1:9

Q. Proverbs 4:10: Proverbs 2:1

R. Proverbs 4:10: Proverbs 3:2

S. Proverbs 4:11: 1 Samuel 12:23

T. Proverbs 4:12: Job 18:7; Psalm 18:36

U. Proverbs 4:12: Psalm 91:11; Proverbs 3:23

V. Proverbs 4:13: Proverbs 3:18

W. Proverbs 4:13: Proverbs 3:22; John 6:63

X. Proverbs 4:14: Psalm 1:1; Proverbs 1:15

Y. Proverbs 4:16: Psalm 36:4; Micah 2:1

Z. Proverbs 4:17: Proverbs 13:2

AA. Proverbs 4:18: Isaiah 26:7; Matthew 5:14; Philippians 2:15

AB. Proverbs 4:18: 2 Samuel 23:4

AC. Proverbs 4:18: Daniel 12:3

AD. Proverbs 4:18: Job 11:17

AE. Proverbs 4:19: Job 18:5; Job 18:6; Proverbs 2:13; Isaiah 59:9; Isaiah 59:10; Jeremiah 23:12; John 12:35

AF. Proverbs 4:19: John 11:10

AG. Proverbs 4:20: Proverbs 5:1

AH. Proverbs 4:20: Proverbs 2:2

AI. Proverbs 4:21: Proverbs 3:21

AJ. Proverbs 4:21: Proverbs 7:1; Proverbs 7:2

AK. Proverbs 4:22: Proverbs 3:22

AL. Proverbs 4:22: Proverbs 3:8; Proverbs 12:18

AM. Proverbs 4:23: Matthew 12:34; Matthew 15:18; Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21; Luke 6:45

AN. Proverbs 4:24: Proverbs 6:12; Proverbs 10:32

AO. Proverbs 4:24: Proverbs 19:1

AP. Proverbs 4:26: Proverbs 5:21; Hebrews 12:13

AQ. Proverbs 4:26: Psalm 119:5

AR. Proverbs 4:27: Deuteronomy 5:32; Deuteronomy 28:14

AS. Proverbs 4:27: Proverbs 1:15; Isaiah 1:16