| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, | 1Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. |
| 2for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. | 2I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching. |
| 3When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, | 3For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother. |
| 4he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. | 4Then he taught me, and he said to me, "Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live. |
| 5Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. | 5Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. |
| 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 watch over you. |
| 7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. | 7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. |
| 8Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. | 8Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. |
| 9She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.” | 9She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown." |
| 10Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. | 10Listen, my son, accept what I say, and 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 instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight 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; 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; guard it well, for it is your life. |
| 14Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. | 14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. |
| 15Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. | 15Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. |
| 16For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. | 16For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. |
| 17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. | 17They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. |
| 18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. | 18The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. |
| 19The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. | 19But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. |
| 20My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. | 20My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. |
| 21Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. | 21Do not let them out of your sight, keep 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 health to one's whole body. |
| 23Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. | 23Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. |
| 24Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. | 24Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. |
| 25Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. | 25Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. |
| 26Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. | 26Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. |
| 27Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. | 27Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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