| International Standard Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Listen, children, to your father's instruction, and pay attention in order to gain understanding. | 1Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, |
| 2I give you sound teaching, so do not abandon my instruction. | 2for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. |
| 3When I was a son to my father, not yet strong and an only son to my mother, | 3When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, |
| 4he taught me and told me, "Let your heart fully embrace what I have to say; keep my commandments and live! | 4he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. |
| 5Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget or turn aside from the words of my mouth! | 5Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. |
| 6Do not abandon her, and she will protect you. Love her, and she will watch over you. | 6Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. |
| 7Wisdom is of utmost importance, therefore get wisdom, and with all your effort work to acquire understanding. | 7The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. |
| 8Prize her and she will exalt you. Indeed, if you embrace her, she will honor you. | 8Prize 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 present to you a crown of beauty." | 9She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.” |
| 10Listen, my son: accept my words, and you'll live a long, long time. | 10Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. |
| 11I have directed you in the way of wisdom, and I have led you along straight paths. | 11I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. |
| 12When you walk, your step will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. | 12When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. |
| 13Hold on to instruction, do not let it go! Guard wisdom, because she is your life! | 13Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. |
| 14Do not enter the path of the wicked, or go along the way of evil men. | 14Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. |
| 15Avoid it! Don't travel on it! Turn away from it, and pass on by. | 15Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. |
| 16For they cannot sleep unless they are doing evil, and they are robbed of their sleep unless they cause someone to stumble. | 16For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. |
| 17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and they 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 that grows brighter until the full light of day. | 18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. |
| 19But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness, and they do not know what they are stumbling over. | 19The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. |
| 20My son, pay attention to my words, and listen closely to what I say. | 20My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. |
| 21Do not let them out of your sight; keep them within your heart. | 21Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. |
| 22For they are life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. | 22For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. |
| 23Above everything else guard your heart, because from it flow the springs of life. | 23Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. |
| 24Never talk deceptively and don't keep company with people whose speech is corrupt. | 24Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. |
| 25Let your eyes look directly ahead; fix your gaze straight in front of you. | 25Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. |
| 26Carefully measure the paths for your feet, and all your ways will be established. | 26Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. |
| 27Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. | 27Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | 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. |
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