Proverbs 4:5-22

⁵Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.

⁶Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.

⁷The first thing is wisdom — get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.

⁸Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.

⁹She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.

¹⁰Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life are multiplied to thee.

¹¹In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.

¹²In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.

¹³Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she is thy life.

¹⁴Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.

¹⁵Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.

¹⁶For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not some to stumble.

¹⁷For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.

¹⁸And the path of the righteous is as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,

¹⁹The way of the wicked is as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.

²⁰My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,

²¹Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.

²²For life they are to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.