A Father's Wise Instruction
1fHear, O sons, a father's instruction,
and be attentive, that you may ggain1 insight,
2for I give you good hprecepts;
do not forsake my teaching.
3When I was a son with my father,
itender, jthe only one in the sight of my mother,
4he ktaught me and said to me,
l“Let your heart hold fast my words;
mkeep my commandments, and live.
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
olove her, and she will guard you.
7pThe beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get ginsight.
8Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will qhonor you rif you embrace her.
9She will place on your head sa graceful garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
10fHear, tmy son, and accept my words,
that uthe years of your life may be many.
11I have vtaught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12When you walk, wyour step will not be hampered,
and xif you run, you will not stumble.
13yKeep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your zlife.
14aDo not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15Avoid it; do not go on it;
turn away from it and pass on.
16For they bcannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness
cand drink the wine of violence.
18But dthe path of the righteous is like ethe light of dawn,
which shines fbrighter and brighter until gfull day.
19hThe way of the wicked is like deep idarkness;
they do not know over what they jstumble.
20kMy son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
21lLet them not escape from your sight;
mkeep them within your heart.
22For they are nlife to those who find them,
and healing to all their2 flesh.
23Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for ofrom it flow pthe springs of life.
24Put away from you qcrooked speech,
and put rdevious talk far from you.
25sLet your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
26tPonder3 the path of your feet;
uthen all your ways will be sure.
27vDo not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.
The Prophesied Kingdom — Part One
Ezra 1:1 – Malachi 4:6 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 36:31 • ID: 2390The Prophesied Kingdom — Part Two
Ezra 1:1 – Malachi 4:6 Sermon • Includes Transcript • 43:38 • ID: 2391Wise Words
Unlocking Treasure in the Book of Proverbs Proverbs 1:1–31:31 Series • ID: 24301Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.