Proverbs — Chapter 4
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1Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
3When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
4he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
5Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
7Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
8Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
11I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
12When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
13Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
22For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
23Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
24Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
25Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
26Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
27Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
1Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
1Hear, [my] sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding:
2For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law.
3For I was a son unto my father, Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live;
5Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
6Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee.
7Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
8Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
9She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; A crown of beauty will she deliver to thee.
10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many.
11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: Keep her; for she is thy life.
14Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men.
15Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on.
16For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.
18But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble.
20My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart.
22For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.
24Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.
25Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.
27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.
1Listen, children, to a father’s instruction, and pay attention so that you may gain discernment.
2Because I hereby give you good instruction, do not forsake my teaching.
3When I was a son to my father, a tender, only child before my mother,
4he taught me, and he said to me: “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands so that you will live.
5Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding; do not forget and do not turn aside from the words I speak.
6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will guard you.
7Wisdom is supreme—so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding!
8Esteem her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
9She will place a fair garland on your head; she will bestow a beautiful crown on you.”
10Listen, my child, and accept my words so that the years of your life will be many.
11I hereby guide you in the way of wisdom, and I lead you in upright paths.
12When you walk, your steps will not be hampered, and when you run, you will not stumble.
13Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; protect it, because it is your life.
14Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil.
15Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it, and go on.
16For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble.
17Indeed they have eaten bread gained from wickedness and drink wine obtained from violence.
18But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, growing brighter and brighter until full day.
19The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness; they do not know what they stumble over.
20My child, pay attention to my words; listen attentively to my sayings.
21Do not let them depart from your sight; guard them within your heart,
22for they are life to those who find them and healing to one’s entire body.
23Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life.
24Remove perverse speech from your mouth; keep devious talk far from your lips.
25Let your eyes look directly in front of you, and let your gaze look straight before you.
26Make the path for your feet level, so that all your ways may be established.
27Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn yourself away from evil.
1Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
2for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
3For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
4He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
5Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
6Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
7Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her.
9She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”
10Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
11I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
12When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
13Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
14Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
16For they don’t sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.
19The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
20My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
21Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.
22For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
23Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
25Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
26Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
27Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
Summary
The father again urges his sons to get wisdom and understanding above all else, recalling how his own father taught him the same lesson (vv. 1-9). He sets before them two paths — the way of the righteous, which grows brighter like the dawn, and the way of the wicked, who cannot sleep until they have caused someone to stumble (vv. 10-19). He tells them to guard their heart above everything else, since it is the source of all of life's direction, and to keep their eyes, mouth, and feet fixed on the straight path, turning aside from evil (vv. 20-27).
Authorship & Background
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes the generational chain: David to Solomon to Solomon's son. Wisdom is meant to be passed down, not discovered fresh each generation. He notes that v.7 ("the principal thing") means wisdom must be the TOP priority — not one priority among many. On v.23, Guzik states: "The heart is the wellspring, and if the well is polluted, everything that flows from it is contaminated." He highlights v.18 as encouragement: the Christian life should be progressive — ever brighter, never stagnant.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Proverbs -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- Wisdom Is Meant to Be Passed Down (vv.3-4) — Solomon recalls how his own father taught him, continuing a chain of instruction across generations. Who poured wisdom into you, and who are you intentionally passing it on to?
- Make Wisdom Your Top Pursuit (v.7) — Solomon calls wisdom "the principal thing," worth acquiring above everything else you might chase. What are you spending your life and energy acquiring, and where does growing in wisdom rank on that list?
- The Righteous Path Keeps Getting Brighter (v.18) — unlike the wicked way, which is described as blind darkness, the path of the just is pictured as light that grows steadily toward full day. Is your walk with God more mature and clear now than it was a year ago, or has it stalled?
- Guard Your Heart Above Everything Else (v.23) — the heart is named as the wellspring from which all of life flows, making it worth protecting more than anything else. What are you allowing into your heart right now that is shaping the words and actions flowing out of you?
- Stay the Course Without Swerving (v.27) — the chapter ends with a call to avoid turning to the right or left, keeping the foot away from evil. Where are you tempted to drift off course through small compromises rather than one big decision?