Chapter 4

  Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.  

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  For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.  

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  For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.  

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  He taught me also, and said to me, Let thy heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.  

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  Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.  

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  Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.  

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  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.  

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  Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.  

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  She shall give to thy head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.  

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  Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.  

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  I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.  

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  When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.  

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  Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.  

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  Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.  

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  Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.  

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  For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.  

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  For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.  

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  But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day.  

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  The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.  

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  My son, attend to my words; incline thy ear to my sayings.  

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  Let them not depart from thy eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.  

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  For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.  

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  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.  

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  Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.  

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  Let thy eyes look right on, and let thy eyelids look straight before thee.  

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  Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.  

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  Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.  

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