Daily reading
Proverbs · IV · 10–19
Proverbs 4:10–19 · NLT
XV · X · MMXXVI
Key verses · Proverbs 4:10–19 · NLT
13ake hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. (NLT)
15Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving. (NLT)
18The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. (NLT)
Proverbs 4:10–19 · New Living Translation
10y child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life.
11I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths.
12When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble.
13Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life.
14Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
15Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving.
16For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day. They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
17They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence!
18The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
19But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over. (NLT)
A note on Scripture quoting
We’ve hit this translation’s public quoting limit for now, so this is a good time to pick up your own Bible and read the rest of the passage.
In short
The father keeps going, and now the picture is a road. Wisdom’s way is straight and clear: you can walk without getting held back and run without tripping. So hold on to good instruction and guard it, because it is the key to life.
The other road is spelled out plainly too. Don’t follow it, don’t even consider it, just turn away and keep moving. That path ends in darkness where people stumble and can’t even tell what tripped them. The right path is different: it starts like the first light of morning and keeps getting brighter.
The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. (NLT)
Proverbs 4:18
Try today
Name one thing you already know pulls you the wrong way, a habit, a scroll, a shortcut. When it shows up today, don’t debate it. Do what verse 15 says: turn away and keep moving.