Proverbs 4:15
“Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.”
What does Proverbs 4:15 mean?
This advice about avoiding something harmful repeats the same instruction in two different ways, which is how wisdom literature often works: it hammers home what matters most. The "it" here refers to the path of the wicked mentioned in the verses just before, and the writer is urging you not to casually drift near temptation or rationalize getting close to destructive choices. The repetition isn't meant to be poetic so much as protective, like a parent urgently telling a child to stay away from danger. When you recognize that something will pull you away from health, peace, or integrity, the advice is simple: don't linger, don't test yourself, and don't look back.