Proverbs 4:11 (DRB)

Passage

I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity:

Nearby Context

Proverbs 4:9 She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown.

Proverbs 4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee.

Proverbs 4:11 I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity:

Proverbs 4:12 Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock.

Proverbs 4:13 Take hold on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "shew", "thee", "wisdom", "lead", "paths", and "equity". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "shew" and "thee", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 10's "Hear O my son and receive my..." into verse 12's "Which when thou shalt have entered thy...", so "shew" and "thee" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "shew" and "thee" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.