¹ Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father,
And give attention that you may gain understanding, ² For I give you sound teaching;
Do not abandon my instruction. ³ When I was a son to my father,
Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, ⁴ Then he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
Keep my commandments and live; ⁵ Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. ⁶ “Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;
Love her, and she will watch over you. ⁷ “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, get understanding. ⁸ “Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her. ⁹ “She will place on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.” ¹⁰ Hear, my son, and accept my sayings
And the years of your life will be many. ¹¹ I have directed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths. ¹² When you walk, your steps will not be impeded;
And if you run, you will not stumble. ¹³ Take hold of instruction; do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your life. ¹⁴ Do not enter the path of the wicked
And do not proceed in the way of evil men. ¹⁵ Avoid it, do not pass by it;
Turn away from it and pass on. ¹⁶ For they cannot sleep unless they do evil;
And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. ¹⁷ For they eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of violence. ¹⁸ But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. ¹⁹ The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know over what they stumble. ²⁰ My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings. ²¹ Do not let them depart from your sight;
Keep them in the midst of your heart. ²² For they are life to those who find them
And health to all their body. ²³ Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life. ²⁴ Put away from you a deceitful mouth
And put devious speech far from you. ²⁵ Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. ²⁶ Watch the path of your feet
And all your ways will be established. ²⁷ Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
Turn your foot from evil.