A Father’s Instruction 1 UST 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 UST { 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 UST When I was just a boy with my father,{ and} my mother’ s delicate, only son. BSB BSB: When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
4 UST 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 UST Learn what is wise and what you should understand! Always remember and keep doing the things that I have said to you! BSB BSB: Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
6 UST Keep doing what is wise, because doing so will keep you safe. Love doing what is wise, because being wise will protect you from harm. BSB BSB: Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
7 UST Being wise is the most important thing.{ So} become wise!{ Even if} it costs you everything that you own, become a person who understands{ God’ s world}! BSB BSB: Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
8 UST 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 UST Being wise will make you{ respectable,} as though you had an attractive wreath on your head. Indeed, being wise will make you{ honorable,} as though you were wearing 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 UST 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 UST I instructed you in how to act wisely. I directed you in how to live in the right way. BSB BSB: I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
12 UST { If you follow my teaching,} nothing will hinder you{ from succeeding}. Indeed, if you attempt great things, you will do well. BSB BSB: When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 UST 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 UST Do not do what wicked people do. Indeed, do not behave in the way that evil people behave. BSB BSB: Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 UST 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 UST { Do not act wickedly} because{ it is as if} evil people cannot even sleep unless they have done something evil{ on that day};{ 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 UST { 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 UST As for righteous people, they will live{ wisely and safely} as people do who walk in the sunshine;{ they will live more and more wisely and safely,} just 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 UST { But} the way that wicked people live is{ dangerous,} like people{ who walk} in total darkness.{ Like people walking in darkness do not know} what they trip over, wicked people 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 UST 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 UST Keep thinking about what I say! Fully commit yourself to remembering such things! BSB BSB: Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
22 UST { Do this} because those who live according to my words will have good lives, and their whole bodies will be healthy. BSB BSB: For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
23 UST More than anything else, be extremely careful about what you think and desire, because those things will control how you live. BSB BSB: Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
24 UST 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 UST { 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 UST Plan carefully to do things in the right way. 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 UST 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.