¹ Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and pay attention to know understanding. ² For I give you good teaching, don't abandon my law. ³ For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. ⁴ He taught me also, and said to me, "Let your heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. ⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. ⁶ Abandon her not, and she will preserve you: love her, and she will keep you. ⁷ Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get wisdom: and whatever you get, get understanding. ⁸ Exalt her, and she will promote you: she will bring you to honour, when you embrace her. ⁹ She will give to your head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory will she deliver to you." ¹⁰ Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of your life will be many. ¹¹ I have taught you in the way of wisdom I have led you in right paths. ¹² When you go, your steps will not be distressed; and when you run, you will not stumble. ¹³ Take fast hold of instruction, and don't let go: keep her for she is your life. ¹⁴ Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil [men]. ¹⁵ Avoid it, don't pass by it, turn from it, and pass another way. ¹⁶ For they don't sleep, until they have done mischief; and their sleep is lost, unless they cause someone to fall . ¹⁷ For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. ¹⁸ But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more to the perfect day. ¹⁹ The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not on what they stumble. ²⁰ My son, attend to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. ²¹ Let them not depart from your eyes keep them in the midst of your heart. ²² For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh. ²³ Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it comes the source of life. ²⁴ Put away from you a perverse mouth, and perverse lips put far from you. ²⁵ Let your eyes look straight forward, and let your eyelids look straight before you. ²⁶ Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be firm. ²⁷ Turn not to the right nor to the left: remove your foot from evil.