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4:1  My children, listen to what your father teaches you. Listen carefully so that you understand what is right.
4:2  My teaching will help you, so do not refuse it.
4:3  My father taught me when I was a little boy. My mother loved me as her only child. My father said to me, ‘Think carefully about what I tell you. If you obey my commands, you will live well.
4:4  My father taught me when I was a little boy. My mother loved me as her only child. My father said to me, ‘Think carefully about what I tell you. If you obey my commands, you will live well.
4:5  Learn to be wise and to understand things properly. Do not forget my teaching or turn away from it.
4:6  If you keep hold of wisdom, she will keep you safe. She will protect you if you love her.
4:7  Learn to be wise, because wisdom is the most important thing to have. Make sure that you learn to understand things well.
4:8  Respect wisdom as very valuable, then she will make you great. If you make her your friend, she will give you honour.
4:9  Wisdom will bless you, as if you are wearing a beautiful crown on your head.’
4:10  So listen to me, my child, and accept my teaching. If you do, the years of your life will be many.
4:11  I am teaching you to be wise, so that you will know the right way to live.
4:12  As you walk through life, nothing will stop you. Even when you run, you will not fall.
4:13  Keep hold of my teaching. Do not forget it. Keep it safe because it will give you a good life.
4:14  Do not join with wicked or evil people. Do not do the things that they do.
4:15  Keep away from them! Be sure to keep to your own good way of life.
4:16  Wicked people have to do evil things. They cannot go to sleep unless they have been cruel to someone that day.
4:17  Evil acts are their food. Violence is their drink.
4:18  The life of righteous people is like the sun at dawn. It gets brighter and brighter until midday.
4:19  But the life of wicked people is like a very dark road. They cannot even see what causes them to fall.
4:20  My child, listen carefully to my teaching and to everything that I tell you.
4:21  Never forget my words. Keep them safe in your mind.
4:22  They will give true life to anyone who takes hold of them. They will give health to your whole body.
4:23  Be very careful to keep your mind safe. The thoughts that you think make you the person that you are.
4:24  Never tell lies or try to deceive other people.
4:25  Look straight in front of you to see clearly where you are going.
4:26  Decide carefully where you are going in life. Then you will be on a good, safe path.
4:27  Do not walk off your path, to the right side or the left side. Keep away from everything that is evil.