| Bible in Basic English (BBE) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:
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1 Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
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2 For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.
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2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
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3 For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.
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3 When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother,
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4 And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:
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4 he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.
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5 Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.
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5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.
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6 Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.
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6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
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7 The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.
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7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
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8 Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love.
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8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
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9 She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory.
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9 She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor."
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10 Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.
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10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
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11 I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.
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11 I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
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12 When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.
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12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
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13 Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.
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13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
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14 Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.
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14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.
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15 Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.
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15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
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16 For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall.
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16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
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17 The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.
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17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
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18 But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.
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18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
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19 The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.
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19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
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20 My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.
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20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.
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21 Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.
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21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
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22 For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.
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22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.
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23 And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.
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23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
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24 Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you.
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24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
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25 Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you.
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25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.
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26 Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.
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26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
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27 Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.
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27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
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| The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain. (The Bible in Basic English Version Online) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
