Proverbs

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

1Listen, children, to a father's teaching. Pay close attention, so that you understand.

2For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

2What I am teaching you is good. Do not turn away from what I tell you.

3For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

3I was once my father's son too, young and tender, my mother's only dear child.

4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

4He taught me and said: Hold on to my words in your heart. Keep my commands and live.

5Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

5Get wisdom. Get understanding. Do not forget my words, and do not turn away from them.

6Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

6Do not leave wisdom behind, and she will keep you safe. Love her, and she will guard you.

7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

7Wisdom matters most of all, so get wisdom. Whatever else you gain, gain understanding.

8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

8Treasure her, and she will lift you up. Hold her close, and she will bring you honor.

9She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

9She will set a wreath of grace on your head. She will hand you a beautiful crown.

10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

10Listen, my son, and take in what I say. Then the years of your life will be many.

11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

11I have taught you the way of wisdom. I have led you along straight paths.

12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

12When you walk, nothing will block your steps. When you run, you will not trip.

Note"Thy steps shall not be straitened" does not mean your steps will not be distressed. "Straitened" here means cramped or hemmed in, so the picture is of a wide, clear road.

13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

13Take a firm hold on this teaching and do not let go. Guard it, because it is your life.

14Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

14Do not set foot on the path of wicked people. Do not walk in the way of those who do evil.

15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

15Stay away from that path. Do not travel on it. Turn away from it and keep going.

16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

16They cannot sleep until they have done something wrong. They lie awake until they make someone fall.

17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

17Wickedness is the bread they eat, and violence is the wine they drink.

18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

18The path of those who do right is like the first light of morning, growing brighter until full day.

Note"Unto the perfect day" means until the sun is at its highest and the light is full. It is about the brightness of noon, not about being perfect.

19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

19The way of the wicked is like deep darkness. They do not even know what makes them stumble.

20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

20My son, pay attention to my words. Listen closely to the things I say.

21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

21Do not let them out of your sight. Keep them deep inside your heart.

22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

22They are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.

23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

23Guard your heart with great care, because everything you live flows out from it.

24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

24Put crooked talk out of your mouth. Keep twisted words far away from your lips.

Note"Froward" and "perverse" in 1611 English described something bent or crooked. Here they describe dishonest, twisted speech.

25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

25Let your eyes look ahead. Fix your gaze straight in front of you.

26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

26Think carefully about where your feet are going. Then all your ways will be steady.

27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

27Do not turn off to the right or to the left. Keep your feet away from evil.