A Father’s Instruction 1 Brenton Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. BSB BSB: Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 Brenton For I give you a good gift; forsake ye not my law. BSB BSB: For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
3 Brenton For I also was a son obedient to my father, and loved in the sight of my mother: BSB BSB: When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
4 Brenton who spoke and instructed me, saying , Let our speech be fixed in thine heart, keep our commandments, forget them not: BSB BSB: he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
5 Brenton and do not neglect the speech of my mouth. BSB BSB: Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
6 Brenton And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: love it, and it shall keep thee. BSB BSB: Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
8 Brenton Secure it, and it shall exalt thee: honour it, that it may embrace thee; BSB BSB: Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9 Brenton that it may give unto thy head a crown of graces, and may cover thee with a crown of delight. BSB BSB: She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10 Brenton Hear, my son, and receive my words; and the years of thy life shall be increased, that the resources of thy life may be many. BSB BSB: Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
11 Brenton For I teach thee the ways of wisdom; and I cause thee to go in right paths. BSB BSB: I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
12 Brenton For when thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not be distressed. BSB BSB: When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Brenton Take hold of my instruction; let it not go,—but keep it for thyself for thy life. BSB BSB: Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Brenton Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors. BSB BSB: Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Brenton In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not thither; but turn from them, and pass away. BSB BSB: Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
16 Brenton For they cannot sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not. BSB BSB: For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
17 Brenton For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression. BSB BSB: For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 Brenton But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come. BSB BSB: The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19 Brenton But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble. BSB BSB: But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 Brenton My son, attend to my speech; and apply thine ear to my words:BSB BSB: My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Brenton that thy fountains may not fail thee; keep them in thine heart. BSB BSB: Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
22 Brenton For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh. BSB BSB: For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
23 Brenton Keep thine heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life. BSB BSB: Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
24 Brenton Remove from thee a froward mouth, and put far away from thee unjust lips. BSB BSB: Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
25 Brenton Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids assent to just things . BSB BSB: Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
26 Brenton Make straight paths for thy feet, and order thy ways aright. BSB BSB: Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
27 Brenton Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away thy foot from an evil way: for God knows the ways on the right hand, but those on the left are crooked: and he will make thy ways straight, and will guide thy steps in peace. 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.