4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
4:1 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding;

4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
4:2 For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.

4:3 For I was my father's son, tender and only [beloved] in the sight of my mother.
4:3 When I was my father's son, Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,

4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
4:4 He also taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.

4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
4:5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
4:6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.

4:7 Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.

4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
4:8 Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.

4:9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
4:9 She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you."

4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
4:10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many.

4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
4:11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.

4:12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
4:12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble.

4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let [her] not go: keep her; for she [is] thy life.
4:13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.

4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil [men].
4:14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.

4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
4:15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.

4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause [some] to fall.
4:16 For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.

4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.

4:18 But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
4:18 But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

4:19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
4:19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.

4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
4:20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.

4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
4:21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;

4:22 For they [are] life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
4:22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.

4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.
4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
4:24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.

4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
4:25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.

4:26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
4:26 Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.

4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
4:27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.