1 H ear, my sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding:

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

2 F or I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law.

For I give you good doctrine; do not forsake my teaching.

3 F or I was a son unto my father, Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

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

4 A nd he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live;

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

5 G et wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;

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

6 F orsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee.

Forsake not, and she will keep, defend, and protect you; love her, and she will guard you.

7 W isdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.

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

8 E xalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.

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

9 S he will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; A crown of beauty will she deliver to thee.

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

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

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

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

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

12 W hen thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

When you walk, your steps shall not be hampered; and when you run, you shall not stumble.

13 T ake fast hold of instruction; let her not go: Keep her; for she is thy life.

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

14 E nter not into the path of the wicked, And walk 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, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on.

Avoid it, do not go on it; turn from it and pass on.

16 F or they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

For they cannot sleep unless they have caused trouble or vexation; their sleep is taken away unless they have caused someone 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 righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

But 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.

19 T he way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble.

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

20 M y son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings.

My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings.

21 L et them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart.

Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart.

22 F or they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh.

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

23 K eep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.

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

24 P ut away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.

Put away from you false and dishonest speech, and willful and contrary talk put far from you.

25 L et thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Let your eyes look right on, and let your gaze be straight before you.

26 M ake level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.

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

27 T urn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.

Turn not aside to the right hand or to the left; remove your foot from evil.