Proverbs 4 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 4 ▼
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NIV
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Berean Standard Bible
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1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching. For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive. for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother. When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother, When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live. he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live. he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.” She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.” She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many. Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble. When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.
22 for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
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