1 H ear, my sons, the instruction of a father, and pay attention in order to gain and to know intelligent discernment, comprehension, and interpretation.

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

2 F or I give you good doctrine; do not forsake my teaching.

For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

3 W hen I was a son with my father, tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,

For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

4 H e taught me and said to me, Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live.

He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

5 G et skillful and godly Wisdom, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation); do not forget and do not turn back from the words of my mouth.

Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

6 F orsake not, and she will keep, defend, and protect you; love her, and she will guard you.

Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

7 T he beginning of Wisdom is: get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation).

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

8 P rize Wisdom highly and exalt her, and she will exalt and promote you; she will bring you to honor when you embrace her.

Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

9 S he shall give to your head a wreath of gracefulness; a crown of beauty and glory will she deliver to you.

She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

10 H ear, O my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life shall be many.

Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

11 I have taught you in the way of skillful and godly Wisdom; I have led you in paths of uprightness.

I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

12 W hen you walk, your steps shall not be hampered; and when you run, you shall not stumble.

When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

13 T ake firm hold of instruction, do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.

Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

14 E nter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

15 A void it, do not go on it; turn from it and pass on.

Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

16 F or they cannot sleep unless they have caused trouble or vexation; their sleep is taken away unless they have caused someone to fall.

For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

17 F or they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

18 B ut the path of the just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more (brighter and clearer) until the perfect day.

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

19 T he way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.

The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

20 M y son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings.

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

21 L et them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart.

Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

22 F or they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.

For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

23 K eep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

24 P ut away from you false and dishonest speech, and willful and contrary talk put far from you.

Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

25 L et your eyes look right on, and let your gaze be straight before you.

Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

26 C onsider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright.

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

27 T urn not aside to the right hand or to the left; remove your foot from evil.

Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.