| 章 |
| 4:1 |
Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
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| 4:2 |
For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.
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| 4:3 |
For, a son I have been to my father -- tender, And an only one before my mother.
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| 4:4 |
And he directeth me, and he saith to me: `Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
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| 4:5 |
Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
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| 4:6 |
Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.
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| 4:7 |
The first thing [is] wisdom -- get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.
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| 4:8 |
Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.
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| 4:9 |
She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.
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| 4:10 |
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to thee.
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| 4:11 |
In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.
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| 4:12 |
In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.
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| 4:13 |
Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.
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| 4:14 |
Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.
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| 4:15 |
Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
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| 4:16 |
For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.
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| 4:17 |
For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.
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| 4:18 |
And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,
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| 4:19 |
The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
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| 4:20 |
My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,
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| 4:21 |
Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.
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| 4:22 |
For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
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| 4:23 |
Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
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| 4:24 |
Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,
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| 4:25 |
Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.
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| 4:26 |
Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.
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| 4:27 |
Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!
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