Proverbs 4:7-20

⁷The beginning of wisdom, wield thou wisdom; and in all thy possession, get thou prudence.

⁸Take thou it, and it shall enhance thee; thou shalt be glorified of it, when thou hast embraced it.

⁹It shall give increasings of graces to thine head; and a noble crown shall defend thee.

¹⁰My son, hear thou, and take my words; that the years of life be multiplied to thee.

¹¹I shall show to thee the way of wisdom; and I shall lead thee by the paths of equity.

¹²Into which when thou hast entered, thy goings shall not be made strait; and thou shalt run, and shalt not have hurting.

¹³Hold thou teaching, and forsake thou it not; keep thou it, for it is thy life.

¹⁴Delight thou not in the paths of wicked men; and the way of evil men please not thee.

¹⁵Flee thou from it, and pass thou not thereby; bow thou away, and forsake it.

¹⁶For they sleep not, no but they have done evil; and sleep is ravished from them, no but they have deceived simple men.

¹⁷They eat the bread of unpiety, and drink the wine of wickedness.

¹⁸But the path of just or rightwise men goeth forth as light shining, and increaseth till to a perfect day.

¹⁹The way of wicked men is dark; they know not where they shall fall.

²⁰My son, hearken thou to my words; and bow down thine ears to my speeches.