1 ¶ Hearken, ye sons, unto the chastening of the father, and pay attention that ye might know understanding.

Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;

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

for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

3 F or I was my father’s son, tender and unique in the sight of my mother.

For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.

4 H e taught me and said unto me, Sustain thine heart with my words; keep my commandments, and live.

He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.

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

Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth.

6 F orsake her not, and she shall preserve thee; love her, and she shall keep thee.

Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

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

Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.

8 G row in wisdom, and she shall promote thee; she shall bring thee to honour when thou hast embraced her.

Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her.

9 S he shall give to thine head an increase of grace; a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”

10 H ear, O my son, and receive my words, and the years of thy life shall be multiplied.

Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.

11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have caused thee to walk in right paths.

I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.

12 W hen thou goest in these paths, thy steps shall not be hindered; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.

13 T ake fast hold of chastening; do not let go; keep this; for it is thy life.

Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.

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

Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.

15 A void it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

16 F or they do not sleep, unless they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause someone to fall.

For they don’t sleep, unless they do evil. 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 just is as the light of the morning star, that shines more and more until the day is perfect.

But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.

19 T he way of the wicked is as darkness; they do not know in what they stumble.

The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.

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

My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

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

Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.

22 F or they are life unto those that find them and medicine to all their flesh.

For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.

23 A bove all else, guard thy heart; for out of it flows the issues of life.

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.

24 P ut away from thee the perversion of the mouth, and the deviation of the lips put far from thee.

Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.

25 L et thine eyes look upon that which is right, and let thine eyelids straighten thy path before thee.

Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.

26 P onder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.

27 T urn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.

Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.