1: Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2: For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not 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 unto me, Let thine 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: Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 7: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8: Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 9: She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. 10: Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. 11: I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. 12: When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 13: Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. 14: Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15: Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 16: For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some 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 shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19: The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. 20: My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21: Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22: For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23: Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24: Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 25: Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26: Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27: Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
