Proverbs

Proverbs 4 ©

1 Solomon to persuade obedience sheweth what instruction he had received from his parents, 5 to study wisdom, 14 and to shun the path of the wicked: 20 he exhorteth to regard his admonitions, 23 and to keep a guard upon the heart, and to be circumspect in all our ways.

1

HEAR, aye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

a ch. 1.8; 2.1-4; 3.1,21; 5.1,2; 6.20-23; 7.1,4. Ep. 6.1,4.
2

For I give you bgood doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

b De. 32.2. 1Ti. 4.6. Tit. 1.9. ch. 22.20,21.
3

For cI was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

c 1Ch. 22.5; 29.1. 2Sa. 12.24,25; 7.14. 1Ki. 1.13.
4

He dtaught me also, and said unto me, eLet thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

d 1Ch. 28.9-21. Ge. 18.19. Ep. 6.4. 2Ti. 3.15. ch. 22.6.
e ch. 3.1; 2.7; 7.2. Le. 18.4,5. Is. 55.3.
5

fGet wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither *decline from the words of my mouth.

f ch. 2.2-4,11. 2Ti. 1.13. Is. 8.20. 2Th. 2.15. 2Pe. 3.18. Jn. 5.39.
6

Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: glove her, and she shall keep thee.

g Ps. 119.97-100. 2Th. 2.10.
7

Wisdom is the hprincipal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

h Mat. 13.44. Lu. 10.42. Phi. 3.7-10. Col. 1.18; 2.3,9; 3.11. Re. 3.18.
8

iExalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

i 1Sa. 2.30. Da. 1.19. ch. 3.16; 8.18; 22.4; 29.23. 1Ti. 4.8.
9

She shall give to thine head jan ornament of grace: 1a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

j ch. 1.9; 3.22. 1Pe. 3.4. 1Ti. 2.9,10. 2Ti. 4.8. Re. 2.10.
10

Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and kthe years of thy life shall be many.

k ch. 3.2; 7.2. v.4,13. De. 6.2; 32.47. Ps. 21.4; 91.16.
11

I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

12

lWhen thou goest, thy steps shall not be *straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

l 2Sa. 22.37. ch. 3.23. Job 18.7. Ps. 18.19,36; 91.11,12; 121.3,7,8; 119.32,165.
13

Take mfast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

m ch. 3.18; 23.23. 1Th. 5.21. Re. 3.11,12; 2.13. 2Pe. 3.17. Jude 3.
14

nEnter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

n Ps. 1.1. ch. 1.10,15; 9.6; 13.20.
15

oAvoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

o ch. 5.8. Ps. 1.1. 1Th. 5.22. Ep. 5.11.
16

For pthey sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

p Ps. 36.4. ch. 1.16; 11.23. Is. 57.20. Ro. 3.15,16. 2Pe. 2.14. Mi. 2.1.
17

For qthey eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

q ch. 20.17. Ps. 53.4. Mi. 2.2; 3.3. Zep. 3.3.
18

But rthe path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

r Ps. 84.7. . Job 11.17; 17.9. Mat. 5.14,16. Phi. 2.15. 2Pe. 1.19; 3.18. Is. 62.1.
19

The sway of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

s Je. 13.16; 23.12. Is. 59.9,10; 42.25. Job 5.14; 18.5,6; 12.25. Ps. 82.5. Ep. 4.18,19. Jn. 12.35. 1Sa. 2.9.
20

¶My son, tattend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

t ch. 1.8; 2.3,4; 3.1,3,21; 5.1,2; 6.20,21; 7.1-3. Is. 55.3. Ps. 34.11.
21

uLet them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

u ch. 3.21.
22

For vthey are life unto those that find them, and 2health to all their flesh.

v v.4,10,13. ch. 3.8; 8.35; 21.21. De. 32.47. Jn. 6.63.
23

wKeep thy heart 3with all diligence; for out of it are the xissues of life.

w Mar. 13.33,37; 14.38. ch. 23.19.
x Mat. 12.35; 15.19. Ps. 68.20.
24

yPut away from thee 4a *froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

y Ep. 4.29. Col. 3.8. 1Co. 15.33. Ja. 1.26.
25

Let zthine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

z Job 31.1. Ps. 119.37. Mat. 6.22.
26

aPonder the path of thy feet, and 5let all thy ways be established.

a Hag. 1.5. Ep. 5.15. He. 12.13. Ps. 119.59.
27

bTurn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

b De. 5.32; 28.14; 12.32. Jos. 1.7. Ec. 7.16,17. Is. 30.21.