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. [Don’t abandon] my Law, for I give you good doctrine. For I, [Solomon,] was [David,] my father's son, [young & inexperienced,] the only beloved in the sight of my mother, [Bathsheba.] |
He also taught me & said to me, Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments & live. Get wisdom & understanding & [don't] forget [them & don't turn away] from the words of my mouth. |
[Don't abandon wisdom & understanding & they] shall [safeguard] you. Love [them & they] shall keep you. The principal thing is wisdom. Therefore, get understanding with all [your might.] |
[Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is [similar to a hidden] treasure in a field. 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. I have taught you the [roads] of wisdom. I have led you in the right paths. Your steps [won't be hindered] when you [run] & you [won't] 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 fill their [stomachs:] because it [has become] the stumbling [rock] 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, [or] go in the [road] of evil men. Avoid it & [don't] pass by it. Turn [away] from it [& continue on your way.] |
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] they may see your good [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. 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 comes] the issues of life. |
[Luke 6:45 A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth [what] is good & an evil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart, brings forth [what] is evil. For of the abundance of [what is in] the heart, his mouth speaks.] |
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 [roads] be established. [Don't] turn to the right hand [side,] nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil. |