Proverbs 4

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.	1 Listen, my children, to a father's instruction; pay attention, and learn what understanding is.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.	2 What I am offering you is sound doctrine: do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.	3 I too was once a child with a father, in my mother's eyes a tender child, unique.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.	4 This was what he used to teach me, 'Let your heart treasure what I have to say, keep my principles andyou wil live;
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.	5 acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, never forget her, never deviate from my words.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.	6 Do not desert her, she will keep you safe; love her, she wil watch over you.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.	7 The first principle of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; at the cost of all you have, acquire understanding!
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.	8 Hold her close, and she wil make you great; embrace her, and she wil be your pride;
9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.	9 she will provide a graceful garland for your head, bestow a crown of honour on you.'
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.	10 Listen, my child, take my words to heart, and the years of your life wil be multiplied.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.	11 I have educated you in the ways of wisdom, I have guided you along the path of honesty.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.	12 When you walk, your going wil be unhindered, if you run, you wil not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.	13 Hold fast to discipline, never let her go, keep your eyes on her, she is your life.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.	14 Do not fol ow the path of the wicked, do not walk the way that the evil go.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.	15 Avoid it, do not take it, turn your back on it, pass it by.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.	16 For they cannot sleep unless they have first done wrong, they miss their sleep if they have not madesomeone stumble;
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.	17 for the bread of wickedness is what they eat, and the wine of violence is what they drink.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.	18 The path of the upright is like the light of dawn, its brightness growing to the ful ness of day;
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.	19 the way of the wicked is as dark as night, they cannot tel the obstacles they stumble over.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.	20 My child, pay attention to what I am telling you, listen careful y to my words;
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.	21 do not let them out of your sight, keep them deep in your heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.	22 For they are life to those who find them and health to al humanity.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.	23 More than al else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wel springs of life.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.	24 Turn your back on the mouth that misleads, keep your distance from lips that deceive.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.	25 Let your eyes be fixed ahead, your gaze be straight before you.
26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.	26 Let the path you tread be level and al your ways be firm.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.	27 Turn neither to right nor to left, keep your foot clear of evil.