They had no regard for his statutes is literally “they did not know his statutes.” New English Bible says “They would not learn his statutes.” It was presumably, however, not a matter of refusing to learn God’s laws, but simply of ignoring what they already knew, paying no attention to it, having no regard (or, respect) for it (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation). This is the interpretation that Contemporary English Version follows with “They ignored … his teachings.”
They did not walk in the ways of God’s commandments: Walk is the familiar metaphor for “live your life” (see Bar 1.18). Good News Translation has combined this line with the previous one: “They had no respect for his commandments and would not live by them.” No essential idea is missing. Translators who wish to keep two lines here will need to find terms for statutes and commandments that are synonymous (compare Psa 119.4-8).
Nor tread the paths of discipline in his righteousness: This is a third line, parallel with the two previous lines. Discipline generally involves a rigorous learning, involving a teacher who is in a position to reward or punish (compare Pro 3.11). God would be the teacher here. “They refused to let him guide them” is the Good News Translation equivalent for nor tread the paths of discipline. What is learned would be his righteousness, that is, what God says is the right way to live your life. Good News Translation could have chosen to expand this in some manner; for example, “the way he wanted them to live.” New Jerusalem Bible interprets this line a bit differently: “or tread the paths of discipline as his justice directed” (similarly Moore). This would mean that God’s justice demands that people submit themselves to discipline, but Jerusalem’s children refused to do this. This is possible, but the interpretation of Good News Translation is the better choice. Contemporary English Version reorders the line as follows: “His laws would have helped them live right, yet my children simply refused to obey.”
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.