| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Listen, children, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so that you may gain discernment. | 1Listen, my sons, to a father's discipline, and pay attention so that you may gain understanding, |
| 2Because I give you good instruction, do not forsake my teaching. | 2for I am giving you good instruction. Don't abandon my teaching. |
| 3When I was a son to my father, a tender only child before my mother, | 3When I was a son with my father, tender and precious to my mother, |
| 4he taught me, and he said to me: "Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands so that you will live. | 4he taught me and said:" Your heart must hold on to my words. Keep my commands and live. |
| 5Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding; do not forget and do not turn aside from the words I speak. | 5Get wisdom, get understanding; don't forget or turn away from the words of my mouth. |
| 6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will guard you. | 6Don't abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you; love her, and she will guard you. |
| 7Wisdom is supreme--so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding! | 7Wisdom is supreme--so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding. |
| 8Esteem her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. | 8Cherish her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. |
| 9She will place a fair garland on your head; she will bestow a beautiful crown on you." | 9She will place a garland of grace on your head; she will give you a crown of beauty." |
| 10Listen, my child, and accept my words, so that the years of your life will be many. | 10Listen, my son. Accept my words, and you will live many years. |
| 11I will guide you in the way of wisdom and I will lead you in upright paths. | 11I am teaching you the way of wisdom; I am guiding you on straight paths. |
| 12When you walk, your steps will not be hampered, and when you run, you will not stumble. | 12When you walk, your steps will not be hindered; when you run, you will not stumble. |
| 13Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; protect it, because it is your life. | 13Hold on to instruction; don't let go. Guard it, for it is your life. |
| 14Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil. | 14Don't set foot on the path of the wicked; don't proceed in the way of evil ones. |
| 15Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it, and go on. | 15Avoid it; don't travel on it. Turn away from it, and pass it by. |
| 16For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble. | 16For they can't sleep unless they have done what is evil; they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. |
| 17For they eat bread gained from wickedness and drink wine obtained from violence. | 17They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. |
| 18But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, growing brighter and brighter until full day. | 18The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. |
| 19The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness; they do not know what causes them to stumble. | 19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they don't know what makes them stumble. |
| 20My child, pay attention to my words; listen attentively to my sayings. | 20My son, pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings. |
| 21Do not let them depart from your sight, guard them within your heart; | 21Don't lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. |
| 22for they are life to those who find them and healing to one's entire body. | 22For they are life to those who find them, and health to one's whole body. |
| 23Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life. | 23Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. |
| 24Remove perverse speech from your mouth; keep devious talk far from your lips. | 24Don't let your mouth speak dishonestly, and don't let your lips talk deviously. |
| 25Let your eyes look directly in front of you and let your gaze look straight before you. | 25Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. |
| 26Make the path for your feet level, so that all your ways may be established. | 26Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established. |
| 27Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn yourself away from evil. | 27Don't turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil. |
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