Pro 4 | ESV | STEP | Hear , O sons , a father’s instruction , and be attentive , that you may gain insight ,

1 ^aHear, O sons, a father’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may ^bgain ^{▼▼Hebrew know} insight,
2 for I give you good ^dprecepts;
do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father,
^etender, ^fthe only one in the sight of my mother,
4 he ^gtaught me and said to me,
^h“Let your heart hold fast my words;
ⁱkeep my commandments, and live.
5 ^jGet wisdom; get ^kinsight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
^llove her, and she will guard you.
7 ^mThe beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get ⁿinsight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will ^ohonor you ^pif you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head ^qa graceful garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
10 ^rHear, ^smy son, and accept my words,
that ^tthe years of your life may be many.
11 I have ^utaught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, ^vyour step will not be hampered,
and ^wif you run, you will not stumble.
13 ^xKeep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your ^ylife.
14 ^zDo 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 ^aacannot 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
^aband drink the wine of violence.
18 But ^acthe path of the righteous is like ^adthe light of dawn,
which shines ^aebrighter and brighter until ^affull day.
19 ^agThe way of the wicked is like deep ^ahdarkness;
they do not know over what they ^aistumble.
20 ^ajMy son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
21 ^akLet them not escape from your sight;
^alkeep them within your heart.
22 For they are ^amlife to those who find them,
and healing to all their ^{▼▼Hebrew his} flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for ^aofrom it flow ^apthe springs of life.
24 Put away from you ^aqcrooked speech,
and put ^ardevious talk far from you.
25 ^asLet your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
26 ^atPonder ^{▼▼Or Make level} the path of your feet;
^avthen all your ways will be sure.
27 ^awDo not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.