4 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.
4 Children, listen to your father’s teaching. Pay attention and you will learn how to learn. 2 The advice I give is good, so don’t ever forget what I teach you.
3 When I was my father’s little boy and my mother’s dear son, [ a ] 4 my father taught me this: “Pay attention to what I say. Obey my commands and you will have a good life. 5 Try to get wisdom and understanding. Don’t forget my teaching or ignore what I say. 6 Don’t turn away from wisdom, and she will protect you. Love her, and she will keep you safe.
7 “The first step to becoming wise is to look for wisdom, so use everything you have to get understanding. 8 Love wisdom, and she will make you great. Hold on to wisdom, and she will bring you honor. 9 Wisdom will reward you with a crown of honor and glory.”
10 Son, listen to me. Do what I say, and you will live a long time. 11 I am teaching you about wisdom and guiding you on the right path. 12 As you walk on it, you will not step into a trap. Even if you run, you will not trip and fall. 13 Always remember this teaching. Don’t forget it. It is the key to life, so guard it well.
14 Don’t take the path of the wicked; don’t follow those who do evil. 15 Stay away from that path; don’t even go near it. Turn around and go another way. 16 The wicked cannot sleep until they have done something evil. They will not rest until they bring someone down. 17 Evil and violence are their food and drink.
18 The path of those who live right is like the early morning light. It gets brighter and brighter until the full light of day. 19 But the path of the wicked is like a dark night. They trip and fall over what they cannot see.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say. Listen closely to my words. 21 Don’t let them out of your sight. Never stop thinking about them. 22 These words are the secret of life and health to all who discover them. 23 Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life.
24 Don’t bend the truth or say things that you know are not right. 25 Keep your eyes on the path, and look straight ahead. 26 Make sure you are going the right way, and nothing will make you fall. 27 Don’t go to the right or to the left, and you will stay away from evil.
4 Hear, my sons, the instruction of a father,
And attend to know understanding:
2 For I give you good doctrine;
Forsake ye not my [ a ] law.
3 For I was a son unto my father,
Tender and [ b ] only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 And he taught me, and said unto me:
Let thy heart retain my words;
Keep my commandments, and live;
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee;
Love her, and she will keep thee.
7 [ c ] Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom;
Yea, with all [ d ] thy getting get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee;
She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace;
A crown of [ e ] beauty will 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 paths of uprightness.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened;
And if 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 walk not in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it;
Turn from it, and pass on.
16 For they sleep not, except they do evil;
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 righteous is as the dawning 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 thy heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them,
And health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart [ f ] with all diligence;
For out of it are the issues of life.
24 Put away from thee a wayward mouth,
And perverse lips put far from thee.
25 Let thine eyes look right on,
And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 [ g ] Make level the path of thy feet,
And let all thy ways be [ h ] established.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left:
Remove thy foot from evil.
4 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction.
Pay attention and know understanding;
2 for I give you sound learning.
Don’t forsake my law.
3 For I was a son to my father,
tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words.
Keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom.
Get understanding.
Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
6 Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you.
Love her, and she will keep you.
7 Wisdom is supreme.
Get wisdom.
Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you.
She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
9 She will give to your head a garland of grace.
She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”
10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings.
The years of your life will be many.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom.
I have led you in straight paths.
12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered.
When you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction.
Don’t let her go.
Keep her, for she is your life.
14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked.
Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it.
Turn from it, and pass on.
16 For they don’t sleep unless they do evil.
Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light
that shines more and more until the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness.
They don’t know what they stumble over.
20 My son, attend to my words.
Turn your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes.
Keep them in the center of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
and health to their whole body.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth.
Put corrupt lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead.
Fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make the path of your feet level.
Let all of your ways be established.
27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left.
Remove your foot from evil.
4 Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
2 For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.
3 For, a son I have been to my father -- tender, And an only one before my mother.
4 And he directeth me, and he saith to me: `Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
6 Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.
7 The first thing [is] wisdom -- get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.
9 She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to thee.
11 In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.
12 In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.
13 Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.
14 Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.
15 Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
16 For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.
17 For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.
18 And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,
19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
20 My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,
21 Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.
22 For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
23 Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
24 Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,
25 Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.
27 Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!
4 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend that you may know prudence.
2 I will give you a good gift, forsake not my law.
3 For I also was my father's son, tender and as an only son in the sight of my mother:
4 And he taught me, and said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.
5 Get wisdom, get prudence: forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee: love her, and she shall preserve thee.
7 The beginning of wisdom, get wisdom, and with all thy possession purchase prudence.
8 Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her.
9 She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown.
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my words, that years of life may be multiplied to thee.
11 I will shew thee the way of wisdom, I will lead thee by the paths of equity:
12 Which when thou shalt have entered, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest thou shalt not meet a stumblingblock.
13 Take hold on instruction, leave it not: keep it, because it is thy life.
14 Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee.
15 Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake it.
16 For they sleep not except they have done evil: and their sleep is taken away unless they have made some to fall.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of iniquity.
18 But the path of the just, as a shining light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is darksome: they know not where they fall.
20 My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thy eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart:
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all flesh.
23 With all watchfulness keep thy heart, because life issueth out from it.
24 Remove from thee a froward mouth, and let detracting lips be far from thee.
25 Let thy eyes look straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy steps.
26 Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established.
27 Decline not to the right hand, nor to the left: turn away thy foot from evil. For the Lord knoweth the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand. But he will make thy courses straight, he will bring forward thy ways in peace.
