1Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3For I was my father's son, tender and only {beloved} in the sight of my mother.
4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5Get wisdom, get understanding: forget {it} not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7Wisdom {is} the principal thing; {therefore} get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. {a crown...: or, she shall compass thee with a crown of glory}
10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13Take fast hold of instruction; let {her} not go: keep her; for she {is} thy life.
14Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil {men}.
15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause {some} to fall.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18But the path of the just {is} as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19The way of the wicked {is} as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22For they {are} life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. {health: Heb. medicine}
23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it {are} the issues of life. {with...: Heb. above all keeping}
24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. {a froward...: Heb. frowardness of mouth and perverseness of lips}
25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. {let...: or, all thy ways shall be ordered aright}
27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.