{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/erv/proverbs/4","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-05-30T22:38:30.899Z"},"reference":{"translation":"ERV","book":"Proverbs","bookSlug":"proverbs","chapter":4,"testament":"OLD"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":3,"nextChapter":5,"totalChapters":31,"totalVerses":27},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"Hear, my sons, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding:"},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my law."},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"For I was a son unto my father, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother."},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"And he taught me, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words; keep my commandments, and live:"},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"Get wisdom, get understanding; forget it not, neither decline from the words of my mouth:"},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee; love her, and she shall keep thee."},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: yea, with all thou hast gotten get understanding."},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her."},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"She shall give to thine head a chaplet of grace: a crown of beauty shall she deliver to thee."},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many."},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness."},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble."},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life."},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men."},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on."},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall."},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence."},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"But the path of the righteous is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble."},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings."},{"verseNumber":21,"text":"Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart."},{"verseNumber":22,"text":"For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh."},{"verseNumber":23,"text":"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."},{"verseNumber":24,"text":"Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee."},{"verseNumber":25,"text":"Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee."},{"verseNumber":26,"text":"Make level the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established."},{"verseNumber":27,"text":"Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."}],"citation":{"inline":"Proverbs 4 (ERV)","markdown":"[Proverbs 4](https://primebible.com/erv/proverbs/4)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* ERV. https://primebible.com/erv/proverbs/4 (accessed 2026-05-30)."}}