{"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/ylt/proverbs/4","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-06-17T10:50:28.637Z"},"reference":{"translation":"YLT","book":"Proverbs","bookSlug":"proverbs","chapter":4,"testament":"OLD"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":3,"nextChapter":5,"totalChapters":31,"totalVerses":27},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding."},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not."},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"For, a son I have been to my father — tender, And an only one before my mother."},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"And he directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live."},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth."},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee."},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"The first thing is wisdom — get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding."},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her."},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely."},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life are multiplied to thee."},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness."},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not."},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she is thy life."},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers."},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on."},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not some to stumble."},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink."},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"And the path of the righteous is as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,"},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"The way of the wicked is as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble."},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,"},{"verseNumber":21,"text":"Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart."},{"verseNumber":22,"text":"For life they are to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing."},{"verseNumber":23,"text":"Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it are the outgoings of life."},{"verseNumber":24,"text":"Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,"},{"verseNumber":25,"text":"Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee."},{"verseNumber":26,"text":"Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways are established."},{"verseNumber":27,"text":"Incline not to the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!"}],"citation":{"inline":"Proverbs 4 (YLT)","markdown":"[Proverbs 4](https://primebible.com/ylt/proverbs/4)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* YLT. https://primebible.com/ylt/proverbs/4 (accessed 2026-06-17)."}}