Proverbs 4:14 (GNV)

Passage

Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of euill men.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 4:12 Whe thou goest, thy gate shall not be strait, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall.

Proverbs 4:13 Take holde of instruction, and leaue not: keepe her, for shee is thy life.

Proverbs 4:14 Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of euill men.

Proverbs 4:15 Auoide it, and goe not by it: turne from it, and passe by.

Proverbs 4:16 For they can not sleepe, except they haue done euill, and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "enter", "wicked", "walke", and "euill". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "enter" and "wicked", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "Take holde of instruction and leaue not..." into verse 15's "Auoide it and goe not by it...", so "enter" and "wicked" 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 "enter" and "wicked" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.