HOLD ON TO INSTRUCTION
Key verse: 13
NIV
10 Listen, my son,(A) accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.(B)
11 I instruct(C) you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.(D)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.(E)
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.(F)
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.(G)
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;(H)
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.(I)
18 The path of the righteous(J) is like the morning sun,(K)
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.(L)
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;(M)
they do not know what makes them stumble.(N)
20 My son,(O) pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.(P)
21 Do not let them out of your sight,(Q)
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.(R)
23 Above all else, guard(S) your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.(T)
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes(U) look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[a] paths for your feet(V)
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;(W)
keep your foot from evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level
Cross references
- Proverbs 4:10 : Ps 34:11-16; Pr 1:8-9
- Proverbs 4:10 : S Dt 11:21
- Proverbs 4:11 : S 1Sa 12:23
- Proverbs 4:11 : 2Sa 22:37; Ps 5:8
- Proverbs 4:12 : S Job 18:7; Pr 3:23
- Proverbs 4:13 : S Pr 3:22
- Proverbs 4:14 : Ps 1:1; S Pr 1:15
- Proverbs 4:16 : Ps 36:4; Mic 7:3
- Proverbs 4:17 : Ge 49:5; Ps 73:6; Pr 1:10-19; 14:22; Isa 59:6; Jer 22:3; Hab 1:2; Mal 2:16
- Proverbs 4:18 : Job 17:9
- Proverbs 4:18 : S Job 22:28
- Proverbs 4:18 : S 2Sa 23:4; Da 12:3; Mt 5:14; Jn 8:12; Php 2:15
- Proverbs 4:19 : S Pr 2:13
- Proverbs 4:19 : S Dt 32:35; S Job 3:23; Pr 13:9; S Isa 8:15
- Proverbs 4:20 : Ps 34:11-16; Pr 1:8-9
- Proverbs 4:20 : Pr 5:1
- Proverbs 4:21 : Pr 3:21
- Proverbs 4:22 : S Pr 3:8
- Proverbs 4:23 : S 2Ki 10:31
- Proverbs 4:23 : Pr 10:11; Lk 6:45
- Proverbs 4:25 : S Job 31:1
- Proverbs 4:26 : Heb 12:13*
- Proverbs 4:27 : S Lev 10:11; S Dt 5:32
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
10 (A)Hear, (B)my son, and accept my words,
that (C)the years of your life may be many.
11 I have (D)taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, (E)your step will not be hampered,
and (F)if you run, you will not stumble.
13 (G)Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your (H)life.
14 (I)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15 Avoid it; do not go on it;
turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they (J)cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
(K)and drink the wine of violence.
18 But (L)the path of the righteous is like (M)the light of dawn,
which shines (N)brighter and brighter until (O)full day.
19 (P)The way of the wicked is like deep (Q)darkness;
they do not know over what they (R)stumble.
20 (S)My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
21 (T)Let them not escape from your sight;
(U)keep them within your heart.
22 For they are (V)life to those who find them,
and healing to all their[a] flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for (W)from it flow (X)the springs of life.
24 Put away from you (Y)crooked speech,
and put (Z)devious talk far from you.
25 (AA)Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
26 (AB)Ponder[b] the path of your feet;
(AC)then all your ways will be sure.
27 (AD)Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:22 Hebrew his
- Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level
Cross references
- Proverbs 4:10 : [See ver. 1 above]; ch. 1:8; [ch. 5:7; 7:24; 8:33; Ps. 34:11]
- Proverbs 4:10 : ch. 2:1
- Proverbs 4:10 : See ch. 3:2
- Proverbs 4:11 : See 1 Sam. 12:23
- Proverbs 4:12 : [Job 18:7; Ps. 18:36; 119:45]
- Proverbs 4:12 : ch. 3:23
- Proverbs 4:13 : ch. 3:18
- Proverbs 4:13 : ver. 22; [John 1:4; 1 John 5:12]
- Proverbs 4:14 : ch. 1:15; Ps. 1:1
- Proverbs 4:16 : [Ps. 36:4]
- Proverbs 4:17 : [Amos 2:8]
- Proverbs 4:18 : Job 11:17; 22:28; Isa. 60:3; 62:1, 2; Dan. 12:3
- Proverbs 4:18 : 2 Sam. 23:4; See Ps. 97:11
- Proverbs 4:18 : [Ps. 84:7]
- Proverbs 4:18 : [1 John 3:2]
- Proverbs 4:19 : 1 Sam. 2:9; Isa. 59:9, 10; Jer. 23:12; John 12:35; [Job 18:5]
- Proverbs 4:19 : [Matt. 6:23]
- Proverbs 4:19 : [John 11:10; 1 John 2:10]
- Proverbs 4:20 : ver. 10
- Proverbs 4:21 : ch. 3:21
- Proverbs 4:21 : [ch. 2:1]
- Proverbs 4:22 : ver. 13; ch. 8:35; 21:21; Deut. 32:47; [1 Tim. 4:8]
- Proverbs 4:23 : [Matt. 12:35]
- Proverbs 4:23 : [Ps. 16:11]
- Proverbs 4:24 : ch. 6:12
- Proverbs 4:24 : ch. 2:15
- Proverbs 4:25 : [Heb. 12:2]
- Proverbs 4:26 : ch. 5:6, 21; [Heb. 12:13]
- Proverbs 4:26 : [Ps. 119:5]
- Proverbs 4:27 : Deut. 5:32; 28:14; Josh. 1:7; 1 Kgs. 15:5
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
Prayer: Lord, let me hold on to your teaching and guard my heart from all wicked things. Make me like the rising sun Jesus who becomes brighter as time passes by!
One Word: Guard your heart