Revised Standard Version RSV
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight;
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Sons, listen to [your] father's discipline, and pay attention in order to gain understanding.
2 for I give you good precepts: do not forsake my teaching.
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After all, I have taught you well. Do not abandon my teachings.
3 When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
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When I was a boy [learning] from my father, when I was a tender and only child of my mother,
4 he taught me, and said to me, "Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live;
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they used to teach me and say to me, "Cling to my words wholeheartedly. Obey my commands so that you may live.
5 do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Get wisdom; get insight.
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Acquire wisdom. Acquire understanding. Do not forget. Do not turn away from the words that I have spoken.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.
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Do not abandon wisdom, and it will watch over you. Love wisdom, and it will protect you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.
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The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom. Acquire understanding with all that you have.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
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Cherish wisdom. It will raise you up. It will bring you honor when you embrace it.
9 She will place on your head a fair garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown."
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It will give you a graceful garland for your head. It will hand you a beautiful crown."
10 Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.
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My son, listen and accept my words, and they will multiply the years of your life.
11 I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
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I have taught you the way of wisdom. I have guided you along decent paths.
12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered; and if you run, you will not stumble.
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When you walk, your stride will not be hampered. Even if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Keep hold of instruction, do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.
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Cling to discipline. Do not relax your grip on it. Keep it because it is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil men.
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Do not stray onto the path of wicked people. Do not walk in the way of evil people.
15 Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.
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Avoid it. Do not walk near it. Turn away from it, and keep on walking.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made some one stumble.
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Wicked people cannot sleep unless they do wrong, and they are robbed of their sleep unless they make someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
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They eat food obtained through wrongdoing and drink wine obtained through violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
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But the path of righteous people is like the light of dawn that becomes brighter and brighter until it reaches midday.
19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
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The way of wicked people is like deep darkness. They do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
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My son, pay attention to my words. Open your ears to what I say.
21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.
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Do not lose sight of these things. Keep them deep within your heart
22 For they are life to him who finds them, and healing to all his flesh.
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because they are life to those who find them and they heal the whole body.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance; for from it flow the springs of life.
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Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it.
24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.
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Remove dishonesty from your mouth. Put deceptive speech far away from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
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Let your eyes look straight ahead and your sight be focused in front of you.
26 Take heed to the path of your feet, then all your ways will be sure.
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Carefully walk a straight path, and all your ways will be secure.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
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Do not lean to the right or to the left. Walk away from evil.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.