1 ARST Children, listen carefully to what I, your father, am teaching you. Pay attention in order to learn what you should understand. BSB BSB: Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 ARST { Do this} because what I am teaching you is good.{ So} remember the rules that I am teaching you. BSB BSB: For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
3 ARST I was once my father’ s boy,{ and} my mother considered me to be her delicate, only son. BSB BSB: When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
4 ARST During that time, my father taught me. He told me,“Remember what I have told you! Do what I have commanded you, so that you will keep on living! BSB BSB: he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
5 ARST Obtain what is wise and what you should understand! Always remember what I have spoken to you! BSB BSB: Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
6 ARST Remember what is wise, so that it will be like a woman who keeps you safe. Love what is wise, so that it will be like a woman who protects you. BSB BSB: Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
7 ARST Being wise is the most important thing!{ So} obtain what is wise!{ Even if} it costs you everything that you own, obtain what you should understand! BSB BSB: Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
8 ARST Prize what is wise, so that you will become great. People will honor you when you value what is wise. BSB BSB: Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9 ARST Being wise{ will make you respectable, as if it} put an attractive wreath on your head. Indeed, being wise{ will make you honorable, as if it} gave you a magnificent crown.” BSB BSB: She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10 ARST My child, listen attentively and accept what I say. Doing so will increase the number of years that you live. BSB BSB: Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
11 ARST I instructed you in how to act wisely. I directed you in how to act uprightly. BSB BSB: I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
12 ARST When you do something, nothing will prevent you{ from succeeding}. Indeed, if you do anything, you will succeed. BSB BSB: When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 ARST Consistently remember the things I have instructed you; keep remembering them! Always be mindful of them, because they will keep you alive. BSB BSB: Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 ARST Do not do what wicked people do. Indeed, do not act like evil people act. BSB BSB: Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 ARST Shun doing what is evil. Do not even consider doing it! Refuse to act wickedly and do something else. BSB BSB: Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
16 ARST { Do not act wickedly} because{ it is as if} evil people cannot even sleep unless they do something evil;{ it is as if} they cannot rest unless they hurt someone. BSB BSB: For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
17 ARST { Do not act wickedly} because evil people do wicked things as if they were eating food; they violently hurt others as if they were drinking wine. BSB BSB: For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 ARST As for righteous people,{ they will live wisely and safely} like the light of the sun at dawn.{ They will live more and more wisely and safely as} the sun shines brighter and brighter until the brightest time of day. BSB BSB: The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19 ARST { But} wicked people{ live dangerously} like people{ who walk} in total darkness.{ Like people walking in darkness do not know} what they trip over, they do not know{ what hurts them}. BSB BSB: But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 ARST My child, pay attention to what I am saying to you! Listen carefully to what I say! BSB BSB: My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 ARST Always remember what I say! Fully commit yourself to remembering such things! BSB BSB: Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
22 ARST { Do this} because those who do so will live{ for a long time}, even their whole bodies will be healthy. BSB BSB: For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
23 ARST Be extremely careful about what you think, because what you think will control how you live. BSB BSB: Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
24 ARST Do not say anything that deceives people. Indeed, never say anything that misleads people. BSB BSB: Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
25 ARST { Focus on doing what is right, like} someone who is always looking straight ahead. Indeed,{ act like} someone who is looking straight in front of himself. BSB BSB: Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
26 ARST Carefully consider what you do. As a result{ of doing so}, you will succeed in everything that you do. BSB BSB: Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
27 ARST Do not do anything other than what is right. Prevent yourself from doing what is evil. BSB BSB: Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.