Proverbs 4:12-22

12 Into which when thou hast entered, thy goings shall not be made strait; and thou shalt run, and shalt not have hurting (and thou shalt not be caused to stumble).

13 Hold thou (fast to my) teaching, and forsake [thou] it not; keep thou it (near), for it is thy life.

14 Delight thou not in the paths of wicked men; and the way of evil men please not thee. (Delight thou not in the paths of the wicked; and do not let the ways of evil people please thee.)

15 Flee thou from it, and pass thou not thereby; bow thou away, and forsake it.

16 For they sleep not, no but they have done evil; and sleep is ravished from them, no but they have deceived simple men. (For they do not sleep, unless first they have done some evil; and sleep is taken from them, unless first they have deceived those who be honest, or have integrity.)

17 They eat the bread of unpiety, and drink the wine of wickedness. (They eat evil bread, and drink wicked wine.)

18 But the path of just men goeth forth as light shining (But the path of the righteous goeth forth like a shining light), and increaseth till to perfect day.

19 The way of wicked men is dark (The way of the wicked is dark); they know not where, (or when,) they shall fall.

20 My son, harken thou (to) my words; and bow down thine ears to my speeches.

21 Go not they away from thine eyes (Let them not go away from thine eyes); keep thou them in the middle of thine heart.

22 For those be life to men finding those, and health of all flesh. (For they be life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.)

Proverbs 4:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 4

In this chapter Solomon advises to seek after wisdom, to avoid bad company, and to continue in the right paths of goodness and truth: he excites attention to what he had to say, from the relation he stood in to the persons addressed; from the nature of his instructions, which were good and profitable; and from his own example, in attending to those his parents gave him, Pr 4:1-4; He exhorts above all things to get wisdom, from the superior excellency of it, and from the preservation, promotion, and honour, to be had by it, Pr 4:5-9; and he further enforces big exhortations, from their being the means of a comfortable life, and of the prolongation of it, and of leading in a right way without straitness or stumbling, Pr 4:10-13. And then proceeds to caution against bad company, and going into a bad way of life; which is enforced from the mischief done by those that walk in it, and from the darkness of it, to which the path of the just is opposed, Pr 4:14-19. And the exhortation to attend to and observe his instructions, and keep them, is repeated, from the consideration of their being life and health to them, Pr 4:20-22; and that they might be preserved, and not departed from, direction's are given about ordering the heart, mouth, lips, eyes, and feet, Pr 4:23-27.