| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, | 1Listen, children, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so that you may gain discernment. |
| 2for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. | 2Because I give you good instruction, do not forsake my teaching. |
| 3When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, | 3When I was a son to my father, a tender only child before my mother, |
| 4he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and 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 insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. | 5Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding; do not forget and do not turn aside from the words I speak. |
| 6Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. | 6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will guard you. |
| 7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. | 7Wisdom is supreme--so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding! |
| 8Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. | 8Esteem her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. |
| 9She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.” | 9She will place a fair garland on your head; she will bestow a beautiful crown on you." |
| 10Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. | 10Listen, my child, and accept my words, so that the years of your life will be many. |
| 11I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. | 11I will guide you in the way of wisdom and I will lead you in upright paths. |
| 12When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. | 12When you walk, your steps will not be hampered, and when you run, you will not stumble. |
| 13Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. | 13Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; protect it, because it is your life. |
| 14Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. | 14Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil. |
| 15Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. | 15Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it, and go on. |
| 16For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. | 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. |
| 18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. | 18But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, growing brighter and brighter until full day. |
| 19The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. | 19The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness; they do not know what causes them to stumble. |
| 20My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. | 20My child, pay attention to my words; listen attentively to my sayings. |
| 21Let them not escape from your sight; 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 healing to all their flesh. | 22for they are life to those who find them and healing to one's entire body. |
| 23Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. | 23Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life. |
| 24Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. | 24Remove perverse speech from your mouth; keep devious talk far from your lips. |
| 25Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. | 25Let your eyes look directly in front of you and let your gaze look straight before you. |
| 26Ponder the path of your feet; then 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 foot away from evil. | 27Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn yourself away from evil. |
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