Proverbs 4
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1Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.1Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.2For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother.3For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4Then he taught me, and he said to me, "Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live.4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.5Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.6Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown."9She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.14Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22for they are life to those who find them and health to one's whole body.22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
New International Version (NIV)

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King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Proverbs 3
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