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

Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding;

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

For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law.

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

When I was my father’s son, Tender and the only one 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 also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.

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

Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

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

Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.

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

Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.

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

Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you 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 will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

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

Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will 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 wisdom; I have led you in right paths.

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

When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will 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; Keep 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.

Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.

15 A void it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on.

Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away 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 do not sleep unless they have done evil; And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone 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 is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto 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 darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.

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

My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.

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

Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst 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, And health to all their flesh.

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

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

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

Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.

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

Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you.

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

Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.

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

Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.