New International Version NIV
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
1 Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:
2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
2 For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.
3 For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother.
3 For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live.
4 And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.
5 Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
6 Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
7 The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
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.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.”
9 She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory.
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
10 Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
11 I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
12 When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
13 Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
14 Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
15 Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
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.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
17 The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.
18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
18 But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
19 The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
20 My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
21 Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.
22 for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.
22 For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
23 And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
24 Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
25 Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
26 Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
27 Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.