| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Listen, children, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so that you may gain discernment. | 1My children, listen when your father corrects you. Pay attention and learn good judgment, |
| 2Because I give you good instruction, do not forsake my teaching. | 2for I am giving you good guidance. Don’t turn away from my instructions. |
| 3When I was a son to my father, a tender only child before my mother, | 3For I, too, was once my father’s son, tenderly loved as my mother’s only child. |
| 4he taught me, and he said to me: "Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands so that you will live. | 4My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live. |
| 5Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding; do not forget and do not turn aside from the words I speak. | 5Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. |
| 6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will guard you. | 6Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. |
| 7Wisdom is supreme--so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding! | 7Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. |
| 8Esteem her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. | 8If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you. |
| 9She will place a fair garland on your head; she will bestow a beautiful crown on you." | 9She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.” |
| 10Listen, my child, and accept my words, so that the years of your life will be many. | 10My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. |
| 11I will guide you in the way of wisdom and I will lead you in upright paths. | 11I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. |
| 12When you walk, your steps will not be hampered, and when you run, you will not stumble. | 12When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble. |
| 13Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; protect it, because it is your life. | 13Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. |
| 14Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil. | 14Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers. |
| 15Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it, and go on. | 15Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving. |
| 16For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble. | 16For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day. They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble. |
| 17For they eat bread gained from wickedness and drink wine obtained from violence. | 17They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence! |
| 18But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, growing brighter and brighter until full day. | 18The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. |
| 19The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness; they do not know what causes them to stumble. | 19But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over. |
| 20My child, pay attention to my words; listen attentively to my sayings. | 20My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. |
| 21Do not let them depart from your sight, guard them within your heart; | 21Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, |
| 22for they are life to those who find them and healing to one's entire body. | 22for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. |
| 23Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life. | 23Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. |
| 24Remove perverse speech from your mouth; keep devious talk far from your lips. | 24Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. |
| 25Let your eyes look directly in front of you and let your gaze look straight before you. | 25Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. |
| 26Make the path for your feet level, so that all your ways may be established. | 26Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. |
| 27Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn yourself away from evil. | 27Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. |
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