¹Listen , sons , to a father ’s instruction .

Pay attention and know understanding ;

²for I give you sound learning .

Don’t forsake my law .

³For I was a son to my father ,

tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

⁴He taught me , and said to me :

“Let your heart retain my words .

Keep my commandments , and live .

⁵Get wisdom .

Get understanding.

Don’t forget , and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth .

⁶Don’t forsake her , and she will preserve you .

Love her , and she will keep you .

⁷Wisdom is supreme.

Get wisdom .

Yes, though it costs all your possessions , get understanding.

⁸Esteem her , and she will exalt you .

She will bring you to honour when you embrace her .

⁹She will give to your head a garland of grace .

She will deliver a crown of splendour to you .”

¹⁰Listen , my son , and receive my sayings.

The years of your life will be many .

¹¹I have taught you in the way of wisdom .

I have led you in straight paths .

¹²When you go , your steps will not be hampered.

When you run , you will not stumble .

¹³Take firm hold of instruction .

Don’t let her go .

Keep her , for she is your life .

¹⁴Don’t enter into the path of the wicked .

Don’t walk in the way of evil men .

¹⁵Avoid it , and don’t pass by it .

Turn from it , and pass on .

¹⁶For they don’t sleep unless they do evil .

Their sleep is taken away , unless they make someone fall .

¹⁷For they eat the bread of wickedness

and drink the wine of violence .

¹⁸But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light

that shines more and more until the perfect day .

¹⁹The way of the wicked is like darkness.

They don’t know what they stumble over .

²⁰My son , attend to my words .

Turn your ear to my sayings .

²¹Let them not depart from your eyes .

Keep them in the centre of your heart .

²²For they are life to those who find them ,

and health to their whole body .

²³Keep your heart with all diligence ,

for out of it is the wellspring of life .

²⁴Put away from yourself a perverse mouth .

Put corrupt lips far from you .

²⁵Let your eyes look straight ahead .

Fix your gaze directly before you .

²⁶Make the path of your feet level .

Let all of your ways be established .

²⁷Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left .

Remove your foot from evil .