New International Version NIV
New King James Version NKJV
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
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Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding;
2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
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For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.
3 For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by 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 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.
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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; do not forget my words or turn away from them.
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Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn 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.
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Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
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Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
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Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.”
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She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you."
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
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Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
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I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
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When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
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Take firm hold of instruction, do not let 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.
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Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
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Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
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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 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 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of 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 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
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The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
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My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your 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 to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.
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For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
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Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
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Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
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Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
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Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
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Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.