| Chapter 4 |
1 | Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
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2 | For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
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3 | For I was my father's son, tender and only [beloved] in the sight of my mother.
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4 | He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
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5 | Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
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6 | Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
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7 | Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
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8 | Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
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9 | She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
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10 | Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
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11 | I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
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12 | When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
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13 | Take fast hold of instruction; let [her] not go: keep her; for she [is] thy life.
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14 | Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil [men].
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15 | Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
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16 | For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause [some] to fall.
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17 | For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
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18 | But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
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19 | The way of the wicked [is] as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
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20 | My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
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21 | Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
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22 | For they [are] life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
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23 | Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.
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24 | Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
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25 | Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
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26 | Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
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27 | Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
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