1: Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge: 2: For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me. 3: For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother. 4: And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life: 5: Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth. 6: Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe. 7: The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge. 8: Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love. 9: She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory. 10: Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours. 11: I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way. 12: When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall. 13: Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life. 14: Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men. 15: Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way. 16: For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall. 17: The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink. 18: But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day. 19: The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall. 20: My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings. 21: Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart. 22: For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh. 23: And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life. 24: Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you. 25: Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you. 26: Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered. 27: Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.
