Proverbs 4 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 4 ▼
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1 Listen, children, to your father's instruction, and pay attention in order to gain understanding. Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound teaching, so do not abandon my instruction. for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son to my father, not yet strong and an only son to my mother, When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one 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 told me, |Let your heart fully embrace what I have to say; keep my commandments and live! he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast 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 or turn aside from the words of my mouth! Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not 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 abandon her, and she will protect you. Love her, and she will watch over you. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is of utmost importance, therefore get wisdom, and with all your effort work to acquire understanding. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Prize her and she will exalt you. Indeed, if you embrace her, she will honor you. Prize her highly, 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 place on your head a graceful garland; she will present to you a crown of beauty.| She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.” She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.”
10 Listen, my son: accept my words, and you'll live a long, long time. Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom, and I have led you along straight paths. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your step will not be hindered, and 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 you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go! Guard wisdom, because she is your life! Keep 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 enter the path of the wicked, or go along the way of evil men. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it! Don't travel on it! Turn away from it, and pass on by. Avoid it; do not go on 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 are doing evil, and they are robbed of their sleep unless they cause someone to stumble. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone 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 they 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 light of dawn that grows brighter until the full light of day. But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until 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 deep darkness, and they do not know what they are stumbling over. The way of the wicked is like deep 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, and listen closely to what I say. My son, be attentive 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 let them out of your sight; keep them within your heart. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within 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 healing to their whole body. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.
23 Above everything else guard your heart, because from it flow the springs of life. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
24 Never talk deceptively and don't keep company with people whose speech is corrupt. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead; fix your gaze straight in front of you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Carefully measure the paths for your feet, and all your ways will be established. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
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