Proverbs 4 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 4 ▼
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BSB_STRONGS
BSB with Strong's
ESV
English Standard Version
KJV
King James Version
NASB
New American Standard Bible
NIV
New International Version
1 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, Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. Listen, <i>my</i> sons, to the instruction of a father, And pay attention so that you may gain understanding, Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive. for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I give you good teaching; Do not abandon my instruction. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3 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, For I was my father's son, tender and only <i>beloved</i> in the sight of my mother. When I was a son to my father, Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 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. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. He taught me and said to me, “Let your heart take hold of my words; Keep my commandments and live; 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.
5 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. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget <i>it</i> not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 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. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. “Do not abandon her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
7 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. Wisdom <i>is</i> the principal thing; <i>therefore</i> get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. “The beginning of wisdom <i>is:</i> Acquire wisdom; And with all your possessions, acquire understanding. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 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. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. “Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 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.” She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. “She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty.” She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.”
10 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. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. Listen, my son, and accept my sayings, And the years of your life will be many. Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
11 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. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. I have instructed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths. I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
12 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. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; And if you run, you will not stumble. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 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. Take fast hold of instruction; let <i>her</i> not go: keep her; for she <i>is</i> thy life. Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
14 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. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil <i>men</i>. Do not enter the path of the wicked And do not proceed in the way of evil people. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 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. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away from it and pass on. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
16 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. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause <i>some</i> to fall. For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; And they are robbed of sleep unless they make <i>someone</i> stumble. For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 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. 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. They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 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. But the path of the just <i>is</i> as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 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. The way of the wicked <i>is</i> as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 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. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. My son, pay attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. They are not to escape from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22 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. For they <i>are</i> life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. For they are life to those who find them, And healing to all their body. for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.
23 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. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it <i>are</i> the issues of life. Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it <i>flow</i> the springs of life. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
24 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. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Rid yourself of a deceitful mouth And keep devious speech far from you. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
26 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. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Watch the path of your feet, And all your ways will be established. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 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. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. Do not turn to the right or to the left; Turn your foot from evil. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
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