12 Apply your heart to instruction

and your ear to words of knowledge.

13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;

if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.

14 If you strike him with the rod,

you will save his soul from Sheol.

15 My son, if your heart is wise,

my heart too will be glad.

16 My inmost being will exult

when your lips speak what is right.

17 Let not your heart envy sinners,

but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.

18 Surely there is a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

12 Apply thine heart unto instruction,

And thine ears to the words of knowledge.

13 Withhold not correction from the child:

For if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod,

And shalt deliver his soul from hell.

15 My son, if thine heart be wise,

My heart shall rejoice, even mine.

16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice,

When thy lips speak right things.

17 Let not thine heart envy sinners:

But be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

18 For surely there is an end;

And thine expectation shall not be cut off.

12 Commit yourself to instruction;

listen carefully to words of knowledge.

13 Don’t fail to discipline your children.

The rod of punishment won’t kill them.

14 Physical discipline

may well save them from death.

15 My child, if your heart is wise,

my own heart will rejoice!

16 Everything in me will celebrate

when you speak what is right.

17 Don’t envy sinners,

but always continue to fear the Lord.

18 You will be rewarded for this;

your hope will not be disappointed.

12 Apply your heart to instruction,

And your ears to words of knowledge.

13 Do not withhold correction from a child,

For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.

14 You shall beat him with a rod,

And deliver his soul from hell.

15 My son, if your heart is wise,

My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;

16 Yes, my inmost being will rejoice

When your lips speak right things.

17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,

But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;

18 For surely there is a hereafter,

And your hope will not be cut off.

12 Remember what you are taught,

and listen carefully to words of knowledge.

13 Don’t fail to punish children.

If you spank them, they won’t die.

14 If you spank them,

you will save them from death.

15 My child, if you are wise,

then I will be happy.

16 I will be so pleased

if you speak what is right.

17 Don’t envy sinners,

but always respect the Lord.

18 Then you will have hope for the future,

and your wishes will come true.

12 Apply thy heart unto instruction,

And thine ears to the words of knowledge.

13 Withhold not correction from the child;

For if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.

14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod,

And shalt deliver his soul from Sheol.

15 My son, if thy heart be wise,

My heart will be glad, even mine:

16 Yea, my heart will rejoice,

When thy lips speak right things.

17 Let not thy heart envy sinners;

But be thou in the fear of Jehovah all the day long:

18 For surely there is a reward;

And thy hope shall not be cut off.

12 Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. 13 Withhold not correction from the child; for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die: 14 thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from Sheol. 15 My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine; 16 and my reins shall exult, when thy lips speak right things.

17 Let not thy heart envy sinners, but be thou in the fear of Jehovah all the day; 18 for surely there is a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

12 Live a more disciplined life, 

and listen carefully to words of knowledge. 

13 Do not hesitate to discipline a child. 

If you spank him, he will not die. 

14 Spank him yourself, 

and you will save his soul from hell. 

15 My son, 

if you have a wise heart, 

my heart will rejoice as well. 

16 My heart rejoices when you speak what is right. 

17 Do not envy sinners in your heart. 

Instead, continue to fear the Lord. 

18 There is indeed a future, 

and your hope will never be cut off. 

12 Apply yourself to discipline

and listen to words of knowledge.

13 Don’t withhold discipline from a youth;

if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.

14 Strike him with a rod,

and you will rescue his life from Sheol.

15 My son, if your heart is wise,

my heart will indeed rejoice.

16 My innermost being will cheer

when your lips say what is right.

17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners;

instead, always fear the Lord.

18 For then you will have a future,

and your hope will never fade.

12 Apply your mind to instruction

and your ear to words of knowledge.

13 Do not withhold discipline from your children;

if you beat them with a rod, they will not die.

14 If you beat them with the rod,

you will save their lives from Sheol.

15 My child, if your heart is wise,

my heart too will be glad.

16 My soul will rejoice

when your lips speak what is right.

17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,

but always continue in the fear of the Lord.

18 Surely there is a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

12 Apply your heart to instruction,

and your ear to sayings of knowledge.

13 Do not withhold discipline from a child,

if you will beat him with the rod, he will not die.

14 As for you, with the rod you shall beat him,

and his life you will save from Sheol.

15 My child, if your heart is wise,

my heart will be glad—even me!

16 And my insides will rejoice

when your lips speak what is upright.

17 May your heart not envy the sinners,

but live in fear of Yahweh all day.

18 Surely there is a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

12 Apply your heart to what you are taught.

Listen carefully to words of knowledge.

13 Don’t hold back training from a child.

If you correct him, he won’t die.

14 So correct him.

Then you will save him from death.

15 My child, if your heart is wise,

my heart will be glad.

16 Deep down inside, I will be happy

when you say what is right.

17 Do not long for what sinners have.

But always show great respect for the Lord.

18 There really is hope for you tomorrow.

So your hope will not be cut off.

12 Apply your heart to discipline

And your ears to words of knowledge.

13 Do not hold back discipline from the child,

Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

14 You shall strike him with the rod

And rescue his soul from Sheol.

15 My son, if your heart is wise,

My own heart also will be glad;

16 And my inmost being will rejoice

When your lips speak what is right.

17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,

But live in the fear of the Lord always.

18 Surely there is a future,

And your hope will not be cut off.