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Listen to Proverbs 4:7-27
7(A)Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
8(B)Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
9She will place on your head (C)an ornament of grace;
A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”
10Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
(D)And the years of your life will be many.
11I have (E)taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
12When you walk, (F)your steps will not be hindered,
(G)And when you run, you will not stumble.
13Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.
14(H)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not walk in the way of evil.
15Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16(I)For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;
And their sleep is [a]taken away unless they make someone fall.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.
18(J)But the path of the just (K)is like the shining [b]sun,
That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
19(L)The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know what makes them stumble.
20My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
23Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of (M)life.
24Put away from you a [c]deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
25Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
26Ponder the path of your (N)feet,
And let all your ways be established.
27Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:16 Lit. robbed
- Proverbs 4:18 Lit. light
- Proverbs 4:24 devious
Cross references
- Proverbs 4:7 : Prov. 3:13, 14; Matt. 13:44
- Proverbs 4:8 : 1 Sam. 2:30
- Proverbs 4:9 : Prov. 3:22
- Proverbs 4:10 : Prov. 3:2
- Proverbs 4:11 : 1 Sam. 12:23
- Proverbs 4:12 : Job 18:7; Ps. 18:36
- Proverbs 4:12 : [Ps. 91:11]; Prov. 3:23
- Proverbs 4:14 : Ps. 1:1; Prov. 1:15
- Proverbs 4:16 : Ps. 36:4; Mic. 2:1
- Proverbs 4:18 : Is. 26:7; Matt. 5:14, 45; Phil. 2:15
- Proverbs 4:18 : 2 Sam. 23:4
- Proverbs 4:19 : 1 Sam. 2:9; [Job 18:5, 6]; Prov. 2:13; [Is. 59:9, 10; Jer. 23:12]; John 12:35
- Proverbs 4:23 : [Matt. 12:34; 15:18, 19; Mark 7:21; Luke 6:45]
- Proverbs 4:26 : Prov. 5:21; Heb. 12:13
7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom.
Though it cost all(A) you have,[b] get understanding.(B)
8Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.(C)
9She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.(D)”
10Listen, my son,(E) accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.(F)
11I instruct(G) you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.(H)
12When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.(I)
13Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.(J)
14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.(K)
15Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16For they cannot rest until they do evil;(L)
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.(M)
18The path of the righteous(N) is like the morning sun,(O)
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.(P)
19But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;(Q)
they do not know what makes them stumble.(R)
20My son,(S) pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.(T)
21Do not let them out of your sight,(U)
keep them within your heart;
22for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.(V)
23Above all else, guard(W) your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.(X)
24Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25Let your eyes(Y) look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet(Z)
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27Do not turn to the right or the left;(AA)
keep your foot from evil.
Read full chapter
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:7 Or Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
- Proverbs 4:7 Or wisdom. / Whatever else you get
- Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level
Cross references
- Proverbs 4:7 : Mt 13:44-46
- Proverbs 4:7 : Pr 23:23
- Proverbs 4:8 : S Pr 3:18
- Proverbs 4:9 : S Pr 1:8-9
- Proverbs 4:10 : Ps 34:11-16; Pr 1:8-9
- Proverbs 4:10 : S Dt 11:21
- Proverbs 4:11 : S 1Sa 12:23
- Proverbs 4:11 : 2Sa 22:37; Ps 5:8
- Proverbs 4:12 : S Job 18:7; Pr 3:23
- Proverbs 4:13 : S Pr 3:22
- Proverbs 4:14 : Ps 1:1; S Pr 1:15
- Proverbs 4:16 : Ps 36:4; Mic 7:3
- Proverbs 4:17 : Ge 49:5; Ps 73:6; Pr 1:10-19; 14:22; Isa 59:6; Jer 22:3; Hab 1:2; Mal 2:16
- Proverbs 4:18 : Job 17:9
- Proverbs 4:18 : S Job 22:28
- Proverbs 4:18 : S 2Sa 23:4; Da 12:3; Mt 5:14; Jn 8:12; Php 2:15
- Proverbs 4:19 : S Pr 2:13
- Proverbs 4:19 : S Dt 32:35; S Job 3:23; Pr 13:9; S Isa 8:15
- Proverbs 4:20 : Ps 34:11-16; Pr 1:8-9
- Proverbs 4:20 : Pr 5:1
- Proverbs 4:21 : Pr 3:21
- Proverbs 4:22 : S Pr 3:8
- Proverbs 4:23 : S 2Ki 10:31
- Proverbs 4:23 : Pr 10:11; Lk 6:45
- Proverbs 4:25 : S Job 31:1
- Proverbs 4:26 : Heb 12:13*
- Proverbs 4:27 : S Lev 10:11; S Dt 5:32
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.