Berean Study Bible | International Standard Version |
1Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. | 1Listen, children, to your father's instruction, and pay attention in order to gain understanding. |
2For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive. | 2I give you sound teaching, so do not abandon my instruction. |
3When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother, | 3When I was a son to my father, not yet strong and an only son to my mother, |
4he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live. | 4he taught me and told me, "Let your heart fully embrace what I have to say; keep my commandments and live! |
5Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them. | 5Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget or turn aside from the words of my mouth! |
6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you. | 6Do not abandon her, and she will protect you. Love her, and she will watch over you. |
7Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding. | 7Wisdom is of utmost importance, therefore get wisdom, and with all your effort work to acquire understanding. |
8Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. | 8Prize her and she will exalt you. Indeed, if you embrace her, she will honor you. |
9She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.” | 9She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will present to you a crown of beauty." |
10Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many. | 10Listen, my son: accept my words, and you'll live a long, long time. |
11I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths. | 11I have directed you in the way of wisdom, and I have led you along straight paths. |
12When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble. | 12When you walk, your step will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble. |
13Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life. | 13Hold on to instruction, do not let it go! Guard wisdom, because she is your life! |
14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. | 14Do not enter the path of the wicked, or go along the way of evil men. |
15Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by. | 15Avoid it! Don't travel on it! Turn away from it, and pass on by. |
16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall. | 16For they cannot sleep unless they are doing evil, and they are robbed of their sleep unless they cause someone to stumble. |
17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. | 17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and they drink the wine of violence. |
18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. | 18The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that grows brighter until the full light of day. |
19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble. | 19But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness, and they do not know what they are stumbling over. |
20My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. | 20My son, pay attention to my words, and listen closely to what I say. |
21Do not lose sight of them; 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 health to the whole body. | 22For they are life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. |
23Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life. | 23Above everything else guard your heart, because from it flow the springs of life. |
24Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. | 24Never talk deceptively and don't keep company with people whose speech is corrupt. |
25Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. | 25Let your eyes look directly ahead; fix your gaze straight in front of you. |
26Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. | 26Carefully measure the paths for your feet, and all your ways will be established. |
27Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil. | 27Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. |
The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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