King James Version KJV
New King James Version NKJV
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
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Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding;
2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
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For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.
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 my father's son, Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
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He also taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
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Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
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Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
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Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
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Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
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 place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you."
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
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Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many.
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 in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
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When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
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Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
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Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
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Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.
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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For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
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For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.
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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But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
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The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
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My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
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Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
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For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
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Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
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Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
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Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.
26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
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Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
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Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.