King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
1
My children, listen to what your father teaches you. Pay attention, and you will have understanding.
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
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What I am teaching you is good, so remember it all.
3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
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When I was only a little boy, my parents' only son,
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
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my father would teach me. He would say, "Remember what I say and never forget it. Do as I tell you, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
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Get wisdom and insight! Do not forget or ignore what I say.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
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Do not abandon wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will keep you safe.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
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Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do. Whatever else you get, get insight.
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
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Love wisdom, and she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will bring you honor.
9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
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She will be your crowning glory."
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
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Listen to me, my child. Take seriously what I am telling you, and you will live a long life.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
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I have taught you wisdom and the right way to live.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
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Nothing will stand in your way if you walk wisely, and you will not stumble when you run.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
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Always remember what you have learned. Your education is your life - guard it well.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
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Do not go where evil people go. Do not follow the example of the wicked.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
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Don't do it! Keep away from evil! Refuse it and go on your way.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
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Wicked people cannot sleep unless they have done something wrong. They lie awake unless they have hurt someone.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
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Wickedness and violence are like food and drink to them.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
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The road the righteous travel is like the sunrise, getting brighter and brighter until daylight has come.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
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The road of the wicked, however, is dark as night. They fall, but cannot see what they have stumbled over.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
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My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen to my words.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
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Never let them get away from you. Remember them and keep them in your heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
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They will give life and health to anyone who understands them.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
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Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
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Never say anything that isn't true. Have nothing to do with lies and misleading words.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
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Look straight ahead with honest confidence; don't hang your head in shame.
26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
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Plan carefully what you do, and whatever you do will turn out right.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
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Avoid evil and walk straight ahead. Don't go one step off the right way.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.