Proverbs 4:1-27 Avoid the Path of Evil & Stay with the Path of the Just

Avoid the Path of Evil & Stay with the Path of the Just

Proverbs 4:1-27                    Proverbs [in Smaller Chunks]

You children, hear the instruction of a father, [& pay attention] to know [about] understanding. [Psalm 34:11-17 Come, you children, & [listen] to me, & I will teach you the fear, [a.k.a. respect,] of the Lord. What man is he, [who doesn't] [desire] life, & [love] many days, [so] that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, & your lips from speaking [deceitfully.] Depart from evil, & do good. Seek peace, & pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, & His ears are open to their [outcry.] The face of the Lord is against [those who] do evil, to cut off the [memory] of them from the earth. The righteous cry [out,] & the Lord [hears,] & [delivers] them out of all their troubles.]

[Don’t] you [abandon] my Law, for I give you good doctrine, [a.k.a. teaching.] For I was my father's son, tender, [a.k.a. inexperienced,] the only beloved in the sight of my mother, [a.k.a. Bathsheba.] [1 Chronicles 29:1 Furthermore, king David said to all the congregation, Solomon, my son, whom God Alone [has] chosen, is [still] young & tender, & the work is [immense,] for the palace, [a.k.a. temple,] is not for man, but for the Lord God.]

He also taught me, & said to me, Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, & live. [Proverbs 7:1-2 My son, keep my words, & lay, [a.k.a. store,] up my commandments [within] you. Keep my commandments, & live; & [keep] my Law, as the apple of your eye.]

Get: wisdom & understanding: & [don't] forget it. Neither decline, [a.k.a. turn away,] from the words of my mouth. [James 1:5-7 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask [for it] [from] God, [Who gives] [wisdom] to all men liberally, [a.k.a. generously,] & [doesn't scold,] & it shall be given [to] him. But let him ask in faith, [not] wavering. For he, [who wavers,] is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind, & tossed. For [don't] let that man think that he shall receive, [a.k.a. deserve,] anything [from] the Lord.]

[Don't abandon [wisdom & understanding,] & [they] shall [safeguard] you. Love [them, & they] shall keep you. The principal thing is wisdom. Therefore, get wisdom, & get understanding with all your [might.]

[Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is [similar to a hidden] treasure in a field. With which, when a man [has] found [it,] he [hides] [it,] & for joy [of it] [he] [goes,] & [sells] all that he [has,] & [buys] that field.]

Exalt [wisdom, & understanding, [which] shall promote you, & bring you to honor, when you embrace [them.] [They] shall give an ornament of grace to your head, & shall deliver a crown of glory to you.

O my son, hear, & receive my sayings, & the years of your life shall be many.    [1 Kings 3:9-13 Therefore, give Your servant, [a.k.a. me, Solomon,] an understanding heart to judge the people, [so] that I may discern, [a.k.a. distinguish,] between good & bad. For who is able to judge this, Your [multitudes of] people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said to [Solomon,] Because you [have] asked this thing, & [haven't] asked for yourself long life; neither [have] asked riches for yourself, nor [have] asked [for] the life of your enemies; but [have] asked for yourself: understanding to discern judgment. [See,] I have done according to your words. [Look,] I have given you a wise & understanding heart; so that, there [were] none like you, [prior] to you. Neither shall any arise after you, [similar] to you. And I have also given you [what] you [haven't] asked, both riches, & [honor:] so that there shall not be any among the kings, [similar] to you, all your days, [a.k.a. life.]

I have taught you in the [ways] of wisdom; & I have led you in [the] right paths. 1 Samuel 12:23-24 [However,] as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord, in ceasing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good, & the right way. Only fear, [a.k.a. respect,] the Lord, & serve Him in Truth, with all your heart. For consider [what] great things He [has] done for you.]

Your steps shall not be [hindered,] & when you [run,] & you shall not stumble. [Ezekiel 7:19-20 They shall [throw] their silver in the streets, & their gold shall be removed. Their: silver & gold shall not be able to deliver them [on] the day of the wrath of the Lord. [These] shall not satisfy their souls, neither [shall they] fill their [stomachs:] because it [became] the stumbling block of their iniquity.

As for the beauty of [its] ornament, [it’s] set in majesty. But they made the images of their abominations, & their detestable things [there.] Therefore, I have [put] it, far from them.]

Take [a firm] hold of instruction; & [don't] let [it] go; keep [it;] for [instruction gives] you life. [Don't] enter into the path of the wicked, & [don't] go in the [road] of evil men. Avoid it, & [don't] pass by it. Turn [away] from it, [& continue on your way.] [Psalm 1:1-2 Blessed is the man [who doesn't] walk, [a.k.a. follow,] in the counsel of the ungodly, nor [stands] in the [path] of sinners, nor [sits] in the seat of the scornful, [a.k.a. those who look down on others.] But his delight is in the [Lord's Law;] & he [thinks about] His Law day & night.]

For [those wicked don’t] sleep [until] they have done mischief. Their sleep is taken away, [until] they cause [someone] to fall. [Psalm 36:3-4 The words of his mouth are [what is:] [sinful] & deceit. He [has stopped being] wise, & [doing] good. Upon his bed, he [plots] mischief, & he [puts] himself in a [path] that isn’t good. He [doesn’t hate] evil.]

For they eat the bread of wickedness, & drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is [like a] shining light, that [shines] more & more [until] the perfect day. [Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light of the world. A city that is [put] on a hill can't be [hidden.] Neither do men light a candle, & put it under a bushel [basket,] but [put it] on a candlestick, & it [gives] light to all [who are] in the house. Let your light [shine like this] before men, [so] that they may see your good works, [a.k.a. deeds,] & glorify Your Father, [Who] is in heaven.]

The [path] of the wicked is [like] darkness. They [don't] know what [causes them to] stumble. [John 12:35-37 Then, Jesus said to them, [Still,] the Light is with you a little while. Walk, [a.k.a. Follow,] while you have the Light, lest darkness [comes] upon you. For he, [who walks] in darkness, [doesn't know where] he [goes.] Believe in the Light, while you have Light, [so] that you may be the children of Light. Jesus [spoke] these things, & departed, & hid Himself from them. But though [Jesus Christ] had done so many miracles [in front of] them, [still,] they [didn't believe in] Him.]

My son, [pay attention] to my words, & [lean] your ear [to hear] my sayings.  [Don't] let them depart from your eyes, & keep them [within] your heart. For they [provide] life to those [who] find them, & health to all their [body.] [Put great effort into keeping] your heart [from evil;] for out of [your heart] are the issues of life.

[Matthew 12:35-37 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good things. And an evil man, out of the evil treasure, brings forth evil things. But I say to you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account [for them on] the Day of Judgment. For by your words, you shall be justified, & by your words, you shall be condemned.]

Put away a [deceitful] mouth, & perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes, & eyelids look straight [in front of] you. Ponder the path of your feet, & let all your [ways] be established. [Proverbs 5:21 For the ways of man are [in front of] the eyes of the Lord, & He [ponders] all his [actions.]

Remove your [feet] from evil, & [don't] turn to the right hand [side,] nor to the left.