Proverbs 4:16-26

16 For they cannot sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
17 For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
18 But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
19 But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
20 son, attend to my speech; and apply thine ear to my words:
21 that thy fountains may not fail thee; keep them in heart.
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all flesh.
23 Keep thine heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
24 Remove from thee a froward mouth, and put far away from thee unjust lips.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids assent just .
26 Make straight paths for thy feet, and order thy ways aright.

Proverbs 4:16-26 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.

Footnotes 3

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.