| Chapter 4 |
1 |
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know intelligence; |
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for I give you good doctrine: forsake ye not my law. |
3 |
For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother. |
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And he taught me, and said unto me, Let thy heart retain my words; keep my commandments and live. |
5 |
Get wisdom, get intelligence: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. |
6 |
Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee; love her, and she shall preserve thee. |
7 |
The beginning of wisdom is, Get wisdom; and with all thy getting get intelligence. |
8 |
Exalt her, and she shall promote thee; she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her. |
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She shall give to thy head a garland of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow upon thee. |
10 |
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be multiplied. |
11 |
I will teach thee in the way of wisdom, I will lead thee in paths of uprightness. |
12 |
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. |
13 |
Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go: keep her, for she is thy life. |
14 |
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men: |
15 |
avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass away. |
16 |
For they sleep not except they have done mischief, and their sleep is taken away unless they have caused some to fall. |
17 |
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. |
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But the path of the righteous is as the shining light, going on and brightening until the day be fully come. |
19 |
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. |
20 |
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. |
21 |
Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart. |
22 |
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. |
23 |
Keep thy heart more than anything that is guarded; for out of it are the issues of life. |
24 |
Put away from thee perverseness of mouth, and corrupt lips put far from thee. |
25 |
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. |
26 |
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be well-ordered. |
27 |
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil. |