Spreuken 4:20-27

20 Mijn zoon! merk op mijn woorden, neig uw oor tot mijn redenen.

21 Laat ze niet wijken van uw ogen, behoud ze in het midden uws harten.

22 Want zij zijn het leven dengenen, die ze vinden, en een medicijn voor hun gehele vlees.

23 Behoed uw hart boven al wat te bewaren is, want daaruit zijn de uitgangen des levens.

24 Doe de verkeerdheid des monds van u weg, en doe de verdraaidheid der lippen verre van u.

25 Laat uw ogen rechtuit zien, en uw oogleden zich recht voor u heen houden.

26 Weeg den gang uws voets, en laat al uw wegen wel gevestigd zijn.

27 Wijk niet ter rechter hand of ter linkerhand, wend uw voet af van het kwade.

Spreuken 4:20-27 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.