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. |