New International Version NIV
Young's Literal Translation YLT
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
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Hear, ye sons, 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 good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.
3 For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother.
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For, a son I have been to my father -- tender, And an only one before 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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And he directeth me, and he saith to me: `Let thy 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 sayings 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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Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
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The first thing [is] wisdom -- get wisdom, And with all thy 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 doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost 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 giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.
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 years of life [are] multiplied to thee.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
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In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
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In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
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Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
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Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
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Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside 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 sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
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For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.
18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
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And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,
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] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
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My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
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Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.
22 for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.
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For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
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Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
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Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
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Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
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Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
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Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy 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.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.