Proverbs 4:9-23

⁹She will give to thy head a wreath of grace: a crown of ornament will she deliver to thee.

¹⁰Hear, O my son, and accept my sayings: and they will increase unto thee the years of life.

¹¹In the way of wisdom have I instructed thee: I have led thee in the tracks of uprightness.

¹²When thou walkest, thy step shall not be narrowed; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

¹³Lay fast hold of correction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

¹⁴Enter not into the path of the wicked, and step not on the way of the bad.

¹⁵Avoid it, pass not through by it, turn off from it, and pass away.

¹⁶For they sleep not, except they have done evil, and their sleep is robbed away, unless they cause some to stumble.

¹⁷For they eat the bread of wickedness; and the wine of violence do they drink.

¹⁸But the path of the righteous is as the early morning light, that shineth more and more brightly until the height of noonday.

¹⁹The way of the wicked is like darkness: they know not against what they stumble.

²⁰My son, attend to my words, unto my sayings incline thy ear.

²¹Let them not slip away from thy eyes: guard them in the midst of thy heart.

²²For they are life unto every one of those that find them, and to all his body a healing.

²³Above all that is to be guarded, keep thy heart, for out of it are the issues of life.