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