| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. | 1My children, listen when your father corrects you. Pay attention and learn good judgment, |
| 2For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive. | 2for I am giving you good guidance. Don’t turn away from my instructions. |
| 3When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother, | 3For I, too, was once my father’s son, tenderly loved as my mother’s only child. |
| 4he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live. | 4My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live. |
| 5Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them. | 5Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. |
| 6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve 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 may acquire, gain understanding. | 7Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. |
| 8Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. | 8If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and 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 a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.” |
| 10Listen, my son, and receive my words, and 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; I will lead you on straight paths. | 11I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. |
| 12When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; 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 go. Guard it, for 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 set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. | 14Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers. |
| 15Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by. | 15Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving. |
| 16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall. | 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 the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. | 17They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence! |
| 18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. | 18The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever 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 total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over. |
| 20My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. | 20My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. |
| 21Do not lose sight of them; keep 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 health to the whole body. | 22for they bring 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. | 23Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. |
| 24Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. | 24Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. |
| 25Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. | 25Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. |
| 26Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. | 26Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. |
| 27Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil. | 27Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. |
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