| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. | 1Listen, my sons, to a father's discipline, and pay attention so that you may gain understanding, |
| 2For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. | 2for I am giving you good instruction. Don't abandon my teaching. |
| 3For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. | 3When I was a son with my father, tender and precious to my mother, |
| 4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. | 4he taught me and said:" Your heart must hold on to my words. Keep my commands and live. |
| 5Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. | 5Get wisdom, get understanding; don't forget or turn away from the words of my mouth. |
| 6Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. | 6Don't abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you; love her, and she will guard you. |
| 7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. | 7Wisdom is supreme--so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding. |
| 8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. | 8Cherish her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. |
| 9She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. | 9She will place a garland of grace on your head; she will give you a crown of beauty." |
| 10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. | 10Listen, my son. Accept my words, and you will live many years. |
| 11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. | 11I am teaching you the way of wisdom; I am guiding you on straight paths. |
| 12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. | 12When you walk, your steps will not be hindered; when you run, you will not stumble. |
| 13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. | 13Hold on to instruction; don't let go. Guard it, for it is your life. |
| 14Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. | 14Don't set foot on the path of the wicked; don't proceed in the way of evil ones. |
| 15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. | 15Avoid it; don't travel on it. Turn away from it, and pass it by. |
| 16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. | 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 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 just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. | 18The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. |
| 19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. | 19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they don't know what makes them stumble. |
| 20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. | 20My son, pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings. |
| 21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. | 21Don't lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. |
| 22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. | 22For they are life to those who find them, and health to one's whole body. |
| 23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. | 23Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. |
| 24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. | 24Don't let your mouth speak dishonestly, and don't let your lips talk deviously. |
| 25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. | 25Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. |
| 26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. | 26Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established. |
| 27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. | 27Don't turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil. |
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