Proverbs 4 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 4 ▼
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1 Hear, you sons, the instruction of a father, || And give attention to know 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 For I have given to you good learning, do not forsake my law. for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I have been a son to my father—tender, || And an only one before 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 And he directs me, and he says to me: “Let your heart retain my words, || Keep my commands, 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, nor turn away || From the sayings 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 forsake her, and she preserves you, || Love her, and she keeps 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 The first thing [is] wisdom—get wisdom, || And with all your getting get 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 Exalt her and she lifts you up, || She honors you when you embrace her. 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 gives a wreath of grace to your head, || She gives you a crown of beauty freely.” 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 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, || And years of life [are] multiplied to you. 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 a way of wisdom, || I have caused you to tread in paths of uprightness. 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 In your walking your step is not restricted, || And if you run, you do 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 Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, || Keep her, for 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 into the path of the wicked, || And do not be blessed in a way of evildoers. 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, do not pass over into it, || Turn aside from it, and pass on. 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 do not sleep if they do no evil, || And their sleep has been taken away violently, || If they do not cause [some] 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 have eaten bread of wickedness, || And they drink 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 And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, || Going and brightening until the day is established, 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 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, || They have not known at what they stumble. 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, give 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, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not let them turn aside from your eyes, || Preserve them in the midst of 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 finding them, || And healing to all their flesh. 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 every charge keep your heart, || For out of it [are] the outgoings 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 Turn aside a contrary mouth from you, || And put perverse lips far from you, 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 Your eyes look straightforward, || And your eyelids look straight before 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 Ponder the path of your feet, || And all your ways [are] 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 incline [to] the right or to the left, || Turn aside your foot 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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