Proverbs 4

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight;	1 Listen, sons, to the discipline of a father, and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.
2 for I give you good precepts: do not forsake my teaching.	2 I will bestow upon you a good gift. Do not relinquish my law.
3 When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight 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 commandments, and 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, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.	5 Obtain wisdom, obtain prudence. May you neither forget, nor turn away from, the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you, love her, and she will guard 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 this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.	7 The beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom, and, with all that you possess, to acquire prudence.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you 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 place on your head a fair garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown."	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 accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.	10 Listen, my son, and accept my words, so that years of life may be multiplied for you.
11 I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.	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 hampered; and if 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 Keep hold of instruction, do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.	13 Take hold of discipline. Do not dismiss it. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in 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 Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away 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 sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made some one stumble.	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 righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full 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 deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.	19 The way of the impious is darkened. They do not know where they may fall.
20 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.	20 My son, pay attention to my sermons, and incline your ear to my eloquent words.
21 Let them not escape from 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 him who finds them, and healing to all his flesh.	22 For they are life to those who find them and health to all that is flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance; for from it flow the springs of life.	23 Preserve your heart with all watchfulness, for life proceeds from this.
24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.	24 Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth, and let detracting lips be far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.	25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids precede your steps.
26 Take heed to the path of your feet, then all your ways will be sure.	26 Direct the path of your feet, and all your ways shall be secure.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away 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.