Online Bible

A Father’s Instruction

Listen, my sons, to the ^ainstruction of a father,And ^bpay attention so that you may ¹gain understanding,2 For I give you good ^ateaching;^bDo not abandon my ¹instruction.3 When I was a son to my father,^aTender and ^bthe only son in the sight of my mother,4 He ^ataught me and said to me,“Let your heart ^btake hold of my words;^cKeep my commandments and live;5 ^aAcquire wisdom! ^bAcquire understanding!Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.6 “Do not abandon her, and she will guard you;^aLove her, and she will watch over you.7 “^aThe ¹beginning of wisdom is: ^bAcquire wisdom;And with all your possessions, acquire understanding.8 “^aPrize her, and she will exalt you;She will honor you if you embrace her.9 “She will place ^aon your head a garland of grace;She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

10 Listen, my son, and ^aaccept my sayings,And the ^byears of your life will be many.11 I have ^ainstructed you in the way of wisdom;I have led you in upright paths.12 When you walk, your ^asteps will not be hampered;And if you run, you ^bwill not stumble.13 ^aTake hold of instruction; do not let go.Guard her, for she is your ^blife.14 ^aDo not enter the path of the wickedAnd do not proceed in the way of evil people.15 Avoid it, do not pass by it;Turn away from it and pass on.16 For they ^acannot sleep unless they do evil;And ¹they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.17 For they ^aeat the bread of wickedness,And drink the wine of violence.18 But the ^apath of the righteous is like the ^blight of dawnThat ^cshines brighter and brighter until the ^dfull day.19 The ^away of the wicked is like darkness;They do not know over what they ¹^bstumble.

20 My son, ^apay attention to my words;^bIncline your ear to my sayings.21 ^aThey are not to escape from your sight;^bKeep them in the midst of your heart.22 For they are ^alife to those who find them,And ^bhealing to all ¹their body.23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,For ^afrom it flow the springs of life.24 Rid yourself of a ^adeceitful mouthAnd ^bkeep devious ¹speech far from you.25 Let your eyes look directly aheadAnd let your ¹gaze be fixed straight in front of you.26 ¹^aWatch the path of your feet,And all your ^bways will be established.27 ^aDo not turn to the right or to the left;^bTurn your foot from evil.

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A Father’s Wise Instruction

Hear, O sons, the ^adiscipline of a father,And ^bpay attention that you may know understanding,2 For I give you ¹sound ^alearning;^bDo not forsake my ²instruction.3 When I was a son to my father,^aTender and ^bthe only son before my mother,4 Then he ^ainstructed me and said to me,“Let your heart ^bhold fast my words;^cKeep my commandments and live;5 ^aAcquire wisdom! ^bAcquire understanding!Do not forget and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.6 “Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;^aLove her, and she will guard you.7 “¹^aThe beginning of wisdom is: ^bAcquire wisdom;And with all your acquiring, acquire understanding.8 “^aPrize her, and she will exalt you;She will honor you if you embrace her.9 “She will give ^afor your head a garland of grace;She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

10 Hear, my son, and ^areceive my sayingsAnd the ^byears of your life will be many.11 I have ^ainstructed you in the way of wisdom;I have led you in upright tracks.12 When you walk, your ^asteps will not be impeded;And if you run, you ^bwill not stumble.13 ^aSeize discipline; do not let go.Guard her, for she is your ^blife.14 ^aDo not enter the path of wicked menAnd do not step into the way of evil men.15 Avoid it, do not pass by it;^aStray from it and pass on.16 For they ^ado not sleep unless they do evil;And ¹they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.17 For they ^aeat the bread of wickednessAnd drink the wine of violence.18 But the ^apath of the righteous is like the ^blight of dawn,That ^cshines brighter and brighter until the ^dfullness of day.19 The ^away of the wicked is like thick darkness;They do not know over what they ¹^bstumble.

20 My son, ^apay attention to my words;^bIncline your ear to my sayings.21 ^aDo not let them deviate from your eyes;^bKeep them in the midst of your heart.22 For they are ^alife to those who find themAnd ^bhealing to all his flesh.23 Guard your heart with all diligence,For ^afrom it flow the springs of life.24 Put away from you a ^aperverse mouthAnd ^bput devious lips far from you.25 Let your eyes look directly aheadAnd even let your eyelids be fixed straight in front of you.26 ^aWatch the track of your feetAnd all your ^bways will be established.27 ^aDo not turn to the right nor to the left;^bTurn your foot from evil.

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A Father’s Instruction

Hear, O children, the ^ainstruction of a father,And ^bpay attention and be willing to learn so that you may gain understanding and intelligent discernment.2 For I give you ^agood doctrine;^bDo not ¹turn away from my instruction.3 When I was a son with my father (David) ,^aTender and ^bthe only son in the sight of my mother (Bathsheba) ,4 He ^ataught me and said to me,“Let your heart ^bhold fast my words;^cKeep my commandments and live. 1+@Chr 28:9; Eph 6:45 “^aGet skillful and godly wisdom! ^bAcquire understanding actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation!Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.6 “Do not ¹turn away from her (Wisdom) and she will guard and protect you;^aLove her, and she will watch over you.7 “^aThe beginning of wisdom is: ^bGet skillful and godly wisdom it is preeminent!And with all your acquiring, get understanding actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation. James 1:58 “^aPrize wisdom and exalt her, and she will exalt you;She will honor you if you embrace her.9 “She will place ^aon your head a garland of grace;She will present you with a crown of beauty and glory.”

10 Hear, my son, and ^aaccept my sayings,And the ^byears of your life will be many.11 I have ^ainstructed you in the way of skillful and godly wisdom;I have led you in upright paths.12 When you walk, your ^asteps will not be impeded for your path will be clear and open;And when you run, you ^bwill not stumble.13 ^aTake hold of instruction; actively seek it, grip it firmly and do not let go.Guard her, for she is your ^blife.14 ^aDo not enter the path of the wicked,And do not go the way of evil men.15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;Turn away from it and pass on.16 For the wicked ^acannot sleep unless they do evil;And they are deprived of sleep unless they make someone stumble and fall.17 For they ^aeat the bread of wickednessAnd drink the wine of violence.18 But the ^apath of the just (righteous) is like the ^blight of dawn,That ^cshines brighter and brighter until it reaches its full strength and glory in the ^dperfect day. 2+@Sam 23:4; Matt 5:14; Phil 2:1519 The ^away of the wicked is like deep darkness;They do not know over what they ^bstumble. John 12:35

20 My son, ^apay attention to my words and be willing to learn;^bOpen your ears to my sayings.21 ^aDo not let them escape from your sight;^bKeep them in the center of your heart.22 For they are ^alife to those who find them,And healing and ^bhealth to all their flesh.23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,For ^afrom it flow the springs of life.24 Put away from you ^aa deceitful (lying, misleading) mouth,And ^bput devious lips far from you.25 Let your eyes look directly ahead toward the path of moral courageAnd let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you toward the path of integrity.26 ^aConsider well and watch carefully the path of your feet,And all your ^bways will be steadfast and sure.27 ^aDo not turn away to the right nor to the left where evil may lurk;^bTurn your foot from the path of evil.