Proverbs 4
HCSB Parallel KJV [BSB CSB ESV HCS KJV ISV NAS NET NIV NLT HEB]
Holman Christian Standard BibleKing James Bible
1Listen, my sons, to a father's discipline, and pay attention so that you may gain understanding, 1Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2for I am giving you good instruction. Don't abandon my teaching. 2For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3When I was a son with my father, tender and precious to my mother, 3For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4he taught me and said:" Your heart must hold on to my words. Keep my commands and live. 4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5Get wisdom, get understanding; don't forget or turn away from the words of my mouth. 5Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6Don't abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you; love her, and she will guard you. 6Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7Wisdom is supreme--so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding. 7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8Cherish her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. 8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9She will place a garland of grace on your head; she will give you a crown of beauty." 9She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
10Listen, my son. Accept my words, and you will live many years. 10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11I am teaching you the way of wisdom; I am guiding you on straight paths. 11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12When you walk, your steps will not be hindered; when you run, you will not stumble. 12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13Hold on to instruction; don't let go. Guard it, for it is your life. 13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14Don't set foot on the path of the wicked; don't proceed in the way of evil ones. 14Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15Avoid it; don't travel on it. Turn away from it, and pass it by. 15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16For they can't sleep unless they have done what is evil; they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. 16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. 18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they don't know what makes them stumble. 19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20My son, pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings. 20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Don't lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. 21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22For they are life to those who find them, and health to one's whole body. 22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. 23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24Don't let your mouth speak dishonestly, and don't let your lips talk deviously. 24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. 25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established. 26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27Don't turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil. 27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Proverbs 3
Top of Page
Top of Page