Proverbs 4

²I am giving you good teaching — do not leave it behind or ignore it.

³I was once a child too — my father's son, dearly loved by my mother.

⁴My father taught me and said: 'Keep my words in your heart. Follow my commands — and you will live.'

⁵Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget it and do not turn away from these words.

⁶Do not leave wisdom behind and she will keep you safe. Love wisdom and she will protect you.

⁷Wisdom is the most important thing of all. Do whatever it takes to get it!

⁸Lift up wisdom and she will lift you up. Hold wisdom close and she will bring you honour.

⁹Wisdom will put a crown of grace and glory on your head. It will make you truly beautiful.

¹⁰My child, listen to wise teaching and obey it. It will help you live a good and full life.

¹¹I have taught you the way of wisdom. I have shown you the right paths to walk on.

¹²When you walk, you will have wide, free steps. When you run, you will not trip.

¹³Hold onto instruction tightly! Do not let it go — it is your very life.

¹⁴Do not step onto the path of wrong people. Do not go in the way that evil people walk.

¹⁵Avoid it! Do not even go near it. Turn away from it and keep walking.

¹⁶Some people cannot even rest unless they have done something wrong. Causing harm has become their habit.

¹⁷Wrong people feed on doing harm — it is like their food and drink. It is all they live on.

¹⁸The path of those who do right is like the sunrise — it starts with a little light and grows brighter and brighter all day long!

¹⁹But the path of wrong people is like walking in the dark — they keep tripping and cannot even see why.

²⁰My child, pay attention to my words. Lean your ear toward my teaching.

²¹Do not let these words disappear from your sight. Keep them deep in your heart.

²²God's words are life to everyone who finds them, and they bring health to every part of you.

²³Guard your heart carefully — it is the most important thing to protect. Everything in your life flows out of it.

²⁴Push away twisted, unkind words. Keep harmful and dishonest speech far from you.

²⁵Keep your eyes looking straight ahead on the right path. Do not get distracted and look away.

²⁶Think carefully about the path your feet are on. Let all your ways be steady and sure.

²⁷Do not turn to the right or the left — stay on God's path. Keep your foot away from evil.