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Proverbs 4

Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2009 (HCSB)

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¹ Listen, my sons, to a father’s discipline, ⓐ and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,

² for I am giving you good instruction. ⓑ Don’t abandon my teaching.

³ When I was a son with my father, tender and precious to my mother,

⁴ he taught me and said: “Your heart must hold on to my words. Keep my commands and live. ⓒ

⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding; ⓓ don’t forget or turn away from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you; love her, ⓔ and she will guard you.

⁷ Wisdom is supreme — so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding. ⓕ

⁸ Cherish her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. ⓖ

⁹ She will place a garland of grace on your head; she will give you a crown of beauty.” ⓗ

¹⁰ Listen, my son. Accept my words, ⓘ and you will live many years. ⓙ

¹¹ I am teaching you the way of wisdom; I am guiding you on straight paths. ⓚ

¹² When you walk, your steps will not be hindered; ⓛ when you run, you will not stumble. ⓜ

¹³ Hold on to instruction; don’t let go. ⓝ Guard it, for it is your life.

¹⁴ Don’t set foot on the path of the wicked; ⓞ don’t proceed in the way of evil ones.

¹⁵ Avoid it; don’t travel on it. Turn away from it, and pass it by.

¹⁶ For they can’t sleep unless they have done what is evil; they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. ⓟ

¹⁷ They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸ The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, ⓠ shining brighter and brighter until midday.

¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; ⓡ they don’t know what makes them stumble. ⓢ

²⁰ My son, pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings. ⓣ

²¹ Don’t lose sight of them; ⓤ keep them within your heart.

²² For they are life to those who find them, and health to one’s whole body.

²³ Guard your heart above all else, [1] for it is the source of life. ⓥ

²⁴ Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly, ⓦ and don’t let your lips talk deviously.

²⁵ Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze [2] straight ahead. ⓧ

²⁶ Carefully consider the path [3] for your feet, ⓨ and all your ways will be established.

²⁷ Don’t turn to the right or to the left; ⓩ keep your feet away from evil.

#	HCSB
1	Listen, my sons, to a father’s discipline, ⓐ and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,
2	for I am giving you good instruction. ⓑ Don’t abandon my teaching.
3	When I was a son with my father, tender and precious to my mother,
4	he taught me and said: “Your heart must hold on to my words. Keep my commands and live. ⓒ
5	Get wisdom, get understanding; ⓓ don’t forget or turn away from the words of my mouth.
6	Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you; love her, ⓔ and she will guard you.
7	Wisdom is supreme — so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding. ⓕ
8	Cherish her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. ⓖ
9	She will place a garland of grace on your head; she will give you a crown of beauty.” ⓗ
10	Listen, my son. Accept my words, ⓘ and you will live many years. ⓙ
11	I am teaching you the way of wisdom; I am guiding you on straight paths. ⓚ
12	When you walk, your steps will not be hindered; ⓛ when you run, you will not stumble. ⓜ
13	Hold on to instruction; don’t let go. ⓝ Guard it, for it is your life.
14	Don’t set foot on the path of the wicked; ⓞ don’t proceed in the way of evil ones.
15	Avoid it; don’t travel on it. Turn away from it, and pass it by.
16	For they can’t sleep unless they have done what is evil; they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. ⓟ
17	They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18	The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, ⓠ shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19	But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; ⓡ they don’t know what makes them stumble. ⓢ
20	My son, pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings. ⓣ
21	Don’t lose sight of them; ⓤ keep them within your heart.
22	For they are life to those who find them, and health to one’s whole body.
23	Guard your heart above all else, [1] for it is the source of life. ⓥ
24	Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly, ⓦ and don’t let your lips talk deviously.
25	Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze [2] straight ahead. ⓧ
26	Carefully consider the path [3] for your feet, ⓨ and all your ways will be established.
27	Don’t turn to the right or to the left; ⓩ keep your feet away from evil.

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Proverbs 4

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