Proverbs 4:1–27

Get Wisdom at Any Cost

4Listen, my sons,^b to a father’s instruction;^c

pay attention and gain understanding.^d

²I give you sound learning,

so do not forsake my teaching.

³For I too was a son to my father,

still tender, and cherished by my mother.

⁴Then he taught me, and he said to me,

“Take hold^e of my words with all your heart;

keep my commands, and you will live.^f

⁵Get wisdom,^g get understanding;

do not forget my words or turn away from them.

⁶Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;^h

love her, and she will watch over you.ⁱ

⁷The beginning of wisdom is this: Get^a wisdom.

Though it cost all^j you have,^b get understanding.^k

⁸Cherish her, and she will exalt you;

embrace her, and she will honor you.^l

⁹She will give you a garland to grace your head

and present you with a glorious crown.^m”

¹⁰Listen, my son,ⁿ accept what I say,

and the years of your life will be many.^o

¹¹I instruct^p you in the way of wisdom

and lead you along straight paths.^q

¹²When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;

when you run, you will not stumble.^r

¹³Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;

guard it well, for it is your life.^s

¹⁴Do not set foot on the path of the wicked

or walk in the way of evildoers.^t

¹⁵Avoid it, do not travel on it;

turn from it and go on your way.

¹⁶For they cannot rest until they do evil;^u

they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.

¹⁷They eat the bread of wickedness

and drink the wine of violence.^v

¹⁸The path of the righteous^w is like the morning sun,^x

shining ever brighter till the full light of day.^y

¹⁹But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;^z

they do not know what makes them stumble.^a

²⁰My son,^b pay attention to what I say;

turn your ear to my words.^c

²¹Do not let them out of your sight,^d

keep them within your heart;

²²for they are life to those who find them

and health to one’s whole body.^e

²³Above all else, guard^f your heart,

for everything you do flows from it.^g

²⁴Keep your mouth free of perversity;

keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

²⁵Let your eyes^h look straight ahead;

fix your gaze directly before you.

²⁶Give careful thought to the^c paths for your feetⁱ

and be steadfast in all your ways.

²⁷Do not turn to the right or the left;^j

keep your foot from evil.