4:1 Hear, (my) sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding:
4:1 Hear, [O] sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention that you may gain understanding,

4:2 For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law.
4:2 For I give you sound teaching; Do not abandon my instruction.

4:3 For I was a son unto my father, Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4:3 When I was a son to my father, Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,

4:4 And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live;
4:4 Then he taught me and said to me, "Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live;

4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
4:5 Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

4:6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee.
4:6 "Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you.

4:7 Wisdom (is) the principal thing; (Therefore) get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
4:7 "The beginning of wisdom [is:] Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding.

4:8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
4:8 "Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her.

4:9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; A crown of beauty will she deliver to thee.
4:9 "She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty."

4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many.
4:10 Hear, my son, and accept my sayings, And the years of your life will be many.

4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
4:11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths.

4:12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
4:12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; And if you run, you will not stumble.

4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; Let her not go: Keep her; For she is thy life.
4:13 Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life.

4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men.
4:14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not proceed in the way of evil men.

4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on.
4:15 Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away from it and pass on.

4:16 For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
4:16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; And they are robbed of sleep unless they make [someone] stumble.

4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.
4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.

4:18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
4:18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.

4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble.
4:19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble.

4:20 My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.
4:20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.

4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart.
4:21 Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart.

4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.
4:22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their whole body.

4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.
4:23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it [flow] the springs of life.

4:24 Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.
4:24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put devious lips far from you.

4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
4:25 Let your eyes look directly ahead, And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.

4:26 Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.
4:26 Watch the path of your feet, And all your ways will be established.

4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.
4:27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil.