Proverbs 4

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Hear, O children, a father's instruction, be attentive, that you may gain understanding!	1 Listen, sons, to the discipline of a father, and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.
2 Yes, excellent advice I give you; my teaching do not forsake.	2 I will bestow upon you a good gift. Do not relinquish my law.
3 When I was my father's child, frail, yet the darling of my mother,	3 For I, too, was the son of my father, tender and an only son in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart hold fast my words: keep my commands, that you may live!	4 And he taught me, and he also said: “Let your heart accept my words. Keep my precepts, and you shall live.
5 "Get wisdom, get understanding! Do not forget or turn aside from the words I utter.	5 Obtain wisdom, obtain prudence. May you neither forget, nor turn away from, the words of my mouth.
6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will safeguard you;	6 Do not send her away, and she will guard you. Love her, and she will preserve you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom; at the cost of all you have, get understanding.	7 The beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom, and, with all that you possess, to acquire prudence.
8 Extol her, and she will exalt you; she will bring you honors if you embrace her;	8 Grasp her, and she will exalt you. You will be glorified by her, when you have embraced her.
9 She will put on your head a graceful diadem; a glorious crown will she bestow on you."	9 She will bestow upon your head an increase in graces, and she will protect you with a noble crown.
10 Hear, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life shall be many.	10 Listen, my son, and accept my words, so that years of life may be multiplied for you.
11 On the way of wisdom I direct you, I lead you on straightforward paths.	11 I will demonstrate to you the way of wisdom. I will lead you along the paths of equity.
12 When you walk, your step will not be impeded, and should you run, you will not stumble.	12 When you have entered by these, your steps will not be constrained, and when running, you will have no obstacle.
13 Hold fast to instruction, never let her go; keep her, for she is your life.	13 Take hold of discipline. Do not dismiss it. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 The path of the wicked enter not, walk not on the way of evil men;	14 Do not delight in the paths of the impious, nor permit the way of evil-doers to please you.
15 Shun it, cross it not, turn aside from it, and pass on.	15 Take flight from it. Do not pass close to it. Turn away and abandon it.
16 For they cannot rest unless they have done evil; to have made no one stumble steals away their sleep.	16 For they do not sleep, unless they have done evil. And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.	17 They eat the bread of impiety, and they drink the wine of iniquity.
18 But the path of the just is like shining light, that grows in brilliance till perfect day.	18 But the path of the just is like a shining light: it advances and increases, even to the day of completion.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; they know not on what they stumble.	19 The way of the impious is darkened. They do not know where they may fall.
20 My son, to my words be attentive, to my sayings incline your ear;	20 My son, pay attention to my sermons, and incline your ear to my eloquent words.
21 Let them not slip out of your sight, keep them within your heart;	21 Let them not recede from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, to man's whole being they are health.	22 For they are life to those who find them and health to all that is flesh.
23 With closest custody, guard your heart, for in it are the sources of life.	23 Preserve your heart with all watchfulness, for life proceeds from this.
24 Put away from you dishonest talk, deceitful speech put far from you.	24 Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth, and let detracting lips be far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead and your glance be directly forward.	25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids precede your steps.
26 Survey the path for your feet, and let all your ways be sure.	26 Direct the path of your feet, and all your ways shall be secure.
27 Turn neither to right nor to left, keep your foot far from evil.	27 Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left; yet turn your foot away from evil. For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right, and truly, those that are on the left are perverse. But he himself will make your courses straight. Then your journey will advance in peace.