NASB — Proverbs 4 — KJV

A Father’s Instruction

  1 Hear°, [O] sons°, the ainstruction° of a father°,
  And bgive° attention° that you may Igain° understanding°,
  2 For I give° you Isound° ateaching°;
  bDo not abandon° my IIinstruction°.
  3 When° I was a son° to my father°,
  aTender° and bthe only° son° in the sight° of my mother°,
  4 Then he ataught° me and said° to me,
  “Let your heart° bhold° fast° my words°;
  cKeep° my commandments° and live°;
  5 aAcquire° wisdom°! bAcquire° understanding°!
  Do not forget° nor° turn° away° from the words° of my mouth°.
  6 “Do not forsake° her, and she will guard° you;
  aLove° her, and she will watch° over you.
  7aThe Ibeginning° of wisdom° [is]: bAcquire° wisdom°;
  And with all° your acquiring°, get° understanding°.
  8aPrize° her, and she will exalt° you;
  She will honor° you if° you embrace° her.
  9 “She will place° aon your head° a garland° of grace°;
  She will present° you with a crown° of beauty°.”

[1] ILit know aPs 34:11; Pv 1:8 bPv 1:2; 2:2
[2] ILit good IIOr law aDt 32:2; Jb 11:4 bPs 89:30; 119:87; Pv 3:1
[3] a1Ch 22:5; 29:1 bZc 12:10
[4] aEp 6:4 bPs 119:168 cPv 7:2
[5] aPv 4:7 bPv 16:16
[6] a2Th 2:10
[7] IOr the primary thing is wisdom aPv 8:23 bPv 23:23
[8] a1S 2:30
[9] aPv 1:9

  10 ¶ Hear°, my son°, and aaccept° my sayings°
  And the byears° of your life° will be many°.
  11 I have adirected° you in the way° of wisdom°;
  I have led° you in upright° paths°.
  12 When you walk°, your asteps° will not be impeded°;
  And if° you run°, you bwill not stumble°.
  13 aTake° hold° of instruction°; do not let° go°.
  Guard° her, for she is your blife°.
  14 aDo not enter° the path° of the wicked°
  And do not proceed° in the way° of evil° men°.
  15 Avoid° it, do not pass° by it;
  Turn° away° from it and pass° on.
  16 For they acannot° sleep° unless°° they do° evil°;
  And Ithey are robbed° of sleep° unless°° they make [someone] stumble°.
  17 For they aeat° the bread° of wickedness°
  And drink° the wine° of violence°.
  18 But the apath° of the righteous° is like the blight° of dawn°,
  That cshines° brighter° and brighter° until° the dfull° day°.
  19 The away° of the wicked° is like darkness°;
  They do not know° over what° they Ibstumble°.

[10] aPv 2:1 bPv 3:2
[11] a1S 12:23
[12] aJb 18:7; Ps 18:36 bPs 91:11; Pv 3:23
[13] aPv 3:18 bPv 3:22; Jn 6:63
[14] aPs 1:1; Pv 1:15
[16] ILit their sleep is robbed aPs 36:4; Mi 2:1
[17] aPv 13:2
[18] aIs 26:7; Mt 5:14; Php 2:15 b2S 23:4 cDn 12:3 dJb 11:17
[19] IOr may stumble aJb 18:5, 6; Pv 2:13; Is 59:9, 10; Jr 23:12; Jn 12:35 bJn 11:10

  20 ¶ My son°, agive° attention° to my words°;
  bIncline° your ear° to my sayings°.
  21 aDo not let them depart° from your sight°;
  bKeep° them in the midst° of your heart°.
  22 For they are alife° to those who find° them
  And bhealth° to all° Itheir body°.
  23 Watch° over your heart° with all° diligence°,
  For afrom it [flow] the springs° of life°.
  24 Put° away° from you a adeceitful° mouth°
  And bput° devious° Ispeech° far° from you.
  25 Let your eyes° look° directly° ahead°
  And let your Igaze° be fixed° straight° in front° of you.
  26 aWatch° the path° of your feet°
  And all° your bways° will be established°.
  27 aDo not turn° to the right° nor° to the left°;
  bTurn° your foot° from evil°.

[20] aPv 5:1 bPv 2:2
[21] aPv 3:21 bPv 7:1, 2
[22] ILit his aPv 3:22 bPv 3:8; 12:18
[23] aMt 12:34; 15:18, 19; Mk 7:21; Lk 6:45
[24] IOr lips aPv 6:12; 10:32 bPv 19:1
[25] IOr eyelids
[26] aPv 5:21; He 12:13 bPs 119:5
[27] aDt 5:32; 28:14 bPv 1:15; Is 1:16


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Solomon, to persuade obedience,

1 ¶ Hear,ºª ye children,º the instructionº of a father,º and attendºª to knowºª understanding.º 2 For² I giveºª you goodº doctrine,º forsakeºª ye not² my law.º

[1] Ps 34:11; Pv 1:8; 2:1; 5:1; 6:20; 7:4; 8:32; 19:20; 22:17; 1Th 2:11; He 2:1.
[2] Dt 32:2; 1Ch 28:9; 2Ch 7:19; Jb 33:3; Ps 49:1; 89:30; Pv 8:6; 22:20; Jn 7:16; 1Ti 4:6; Tit 1:9.

sheweth what instruction he had of his parents,

3 For² I was² my father'sº son,º tenderº and onlyº [beloved] in the sightº of my mother.º 4 He taughtºª me also, and saidºª unto me, Let thine heartº retainºª my words:º keepºª my commandments,º and live.ºª

[3] 2S 12:24; 1K 1:13; 1Ch 3:5; 22:5; 29:1; Jr 10:23; Ro 12:16.
[4] Gn 18:19; Lv 18:3; Dt 4:9; 6:6; 1Ch 22:11; 28:9; Ps 119:11; Pv 3:1; 7:2; 22:6; Is 55:3; Jn 12:50; Ep 6:4; 2Ti 1:5; 3:15; He 5:9.

to study wisdom,

5 Getºª wisdom,º getºª understanding:º forgetºª [it] not;² neither² declineºª from the wordsº² of my mouth.º 6 Forsakeºª her not,² and she shall preserveºª thee: loveºª her, and she shall keepºª thee. 7 Wisdomº [is] the principal thing;º [therefore] getºª wisdom:º and with all² thy gettingº get² understanding.º 8 Exaltºª her, and she shall promoteºª thee: she shall bring thee to honour,ºª when² thou dost embraceºª her. 9 She shall giveºª to thine headº an ornamentº of grace:º a crownº of gloryº shall she deliverºª to thee. 10 Hear,ºª O my son,º and receiveºª my sayings;º and the yearsº of thy lifeº shall be many.ºª 11 I have taughtºª thee in the wayº of wisdom;º I have ledºª thee in rightº paths.º 12 When thou goest,¹ª² thy stepsº shall not² be straitened;ºª and when² thou runnest,ºª thou shalt not² stumble.ºª 13 Take fast holdºª of instruction;º let [her] not² go:ºª keepºª her; for² she² [is] thy life.º

[5] 2Ch 34:2; Jb 23:11; Ps 44:18; 119:51, 157; Pv 1:22; 2:2; 3:13; 8:5; 17:16; 18:1; 19:8; 23:23; Jm 1:5.
[6] Pv 2:10; 4:21; Ep 3:17; 2Th 2:10.
[7] Ps 49:16; 119:104; Pv 16:16; 21:6; Ec 2:4; 4:8; 7:12; 9:16; Mt 13:44; Mk 8:36; Lk 10:42; 12:20; Php 3:8.
[8] 1S 2:30; 1K 3:5; Pv 3:35; 22:4; Dn 12:3.
[9] Pv 1:9; 3:22; 16:31; Is 28:5; 1Ti 2:9; He 2:7; 1P 3:4; 5:4; Rv 3:21.
[10] Dt 5:16; 6:2; Jb 22:22; Pv 3:2, 16; 8:10; 19:20; Jr 9:20; Jn 3:32; 1Th 2:13; 1Ti 1:15.
[11] Dt 4:5; 1S 12:24; Ps 23:3; 25:4; Pv 4:4; 8:6, 9, 20; Ec 12:9; Ac 13:10.
[12] 2S 22:37; Jb 18:7; Ps 18:36; 91:11; 119:165; Pv 3:23; 4:19; 6:22; Jr 31:9; Jn 11:9; Ro 9:32; 1P 2:8; 1Jn 2:10.
[13] Gn 32:26; Dt 32:47; Pv 3:18, 22; 23:23; Ec 7:12; So 3:4; Lk 24:27; Jn 4:39; 6:68; Ac 2:42; 11:23; 1Th 5:21; He 2:1; Rv 2:13; 12:11.

and to shun the path of the wicked.

14 ¶ Enterºª not² into the pathº of the wicked,º and goºª not² in the wayº of evilº [men]. 15 Avoidºª it, passºª not² by it, turnºª from²² it, and pass away.ºª 16 For² they sleepºª not,² except²² they have done mischief;ºª and their sleepº is taken away,ºª unless²² they cause [some] to fall.ºªªª 17 For² they eatºª the breadº of wickedness,º and drinkºª the wineº of violence.º 18 But the pathº of the justº [is] as the shiningº light,º that shinethºª more¹ª and more² unto² the perfectºª day.º 19 The wayº of the wickedº [is] as darkness:º they knowºª not² at what² they stumble.ºª

[14] Ps 1:1; 26:4; Pv 1:10, 15; 2:11; 9:6; 13:20; 1Co 15:33.
[15] Ex 23:7; Jb 11:14; 22:23; Pv 5:8; 6:5; Is 33:15; Ep 5:11; 1Th 5:22.
[16] Ps 36:4; Pv 1:16; Is 57:20; Mi 2:1; Lk 22:66; Jn 18:28; 2P 2:14.
[17] Jb 24:5; Ps 14:4; Pv 9:17; 20:17; Jr 5:26; Ezk 22:25; Am 8:4; Mi 3:5; 6:12; Zp 3:3; Mt 23:14; Jm 5:4.
[18] 2S 23:4; Jb 11:17; 23:10; Ps 84:7; Ho 6:3; Zc 14:6; Mt 5:14, 16, 45; Jn 8:12; 2Co 3:18; Php 2:15; 2P 1:19; 3:18; Rv 21:23; 22:5.
[19] 1S 2:9; Jb 5:14; 12:25; 18:5, 18; Is 59:9; Jr 13:16; 23:12; Mt 7:23; 15:14; Jn 12:35; 1Jn 2:11.

He exhorteth to faith,

20 ¶ My son,º attendºª to my words;º inclineºª thine earº unto my sayings.º 21 Let them not² departºª from thine eyes;º² keepºª them in the midstº of thine heart.º 22 For² they² [are] lifeº unto those that findºª them, and healthº to all² their flesh.º

[20] Ps 78:1; 90:12; Pv 5:1; 6:20; 7:1; Is 55:3; Mt 17:5.
[21] Ps 40:8; Pv 2:1; 3:3, 21.
[22] Pv 3:8; 4:4, 10; 12:18; Jr 33:6.

and sanctification.

23 ¶ Keepºª thy heartº with all²² diligence;º for² out of² it [are] the issuesº of life.º 24 Put awayºª from² thee a frowardº mouth,º and perverseº lipsº put farºª from² thee. 25 Let thine eyesº lookºª right on,º and let thine eyelidsº look straightºª before² thee. 26 Ponderºª the pathº of thy feet,º and let all² thy waysº be established.ºª 27 Turnºª not² to the right handº nor to the left:º removeºª thy footº from evil.º²

[23] Dt 4:9; Ps 139:23; Pv 3:21; 4:7; 11:16; 13:3; 22:5; 23:19; 28:26; Ec 5:13; Jr 17:9; Mt 12:35; 15:19; Mk 7:21; 14:38; He 12:15; Jm 1:14.
[24] Jb 11:14; Pv 8:8, 13; 17:20; Ezk 18:31; Ep 4:25; Col 3:8; 1Ti 6:5; Jm 1:21, 26; 1P 2:1.
[25] Jb 31:1; Ps 119:37; Pv 23:5, 33; Mt 6:22.
[26] Ps 37:23; 40:2; 119:59; Pv 5:6; Ezk 18:28; Hg 1:5, 7; Ep 5:15, 17; 1Th 3:13; 2Th 3:3; 1P 5:10.
[27] Dt 5:32; 12:32; 28:14; Jsh 1:7; Pv 16:17; Is 1:16; Ro 12:9.


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