The Father's Wisdom
1 Listen, sons, to a father's instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
1 Hear, O sons, the (A)instruction of a father,And (B)give attention that you may (a)gain understanding,
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s discipline,(A)and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,
1 Listen, children, to your father's instruction, and pay attention in order to gain understanding.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
3 When I was a son with my father,tender and precious to my mother,
3 When I was a son to my father, not yet strong and an only son to my mother,
4 He taught me, and said to me: "Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
4 Then he (G)taught me and said to me,“Let your heart (H)hold fast my words;(I)Keep my commandments and live;
4 he taught me and told me, "Let your heart fully embrace what I have to say; keep my commandments and live!
5 Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don't forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
5 (J)Acquire wisdom! (K)Acquire understanding!Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
5 Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget or turn aside from the words of my mouth!
7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
7 “(M)The (d)beginning of wisdom is: (N)Acquire wisdom;And with all your acquiring, get understanding.
7 Wisdom is of utmost importance, therefore get wisdom, and with all your effort work to acquire understanding.
The Right Path
15 Avoid it, and don't pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
15 Avoid it, do not pass by it;Turn away from it and pass on.
15 Avoid it; don’t travel on it.Turn away from it, and pass it by.
15 Avoid it! Don't travel on it! Turn away from it, and pass on by.
16 For they don't sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
16 For they (Y)cannot sleep unless they do evil;And (e)they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
16 For they can’t sleepunless they have done what is evil;they are robbed of sleepunless they make someone stumble.(P)
16 For they cannot sleep unless they are doing evil, and they are robbed of their sleep unless they cause someone to stumble.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
18 But the (AA)path of the righteous is like the (AB)light of dawn,That (AC)shines brighter and brighter until the (AD)full day.
18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,(Q)shining brighter and brighter until midday.
18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that grows brighter until the full light of day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don't know what they stumble over.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
19 But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;(R)they don’t know what makes them stumble.(S)
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness, and they do not know what they are stumbling over.
Staying The Course
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
22 For they are life to those who find them,and health to one’s whole body.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.