1 O sons, hear the teaching of a father. Listen so you may get understanding.

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

2 F or I give you good teaching. Do not turn away from it.

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

3 W hen I was a much loved and only son of my mother and father,

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

4 h e taught me, saying, “Hold my words close to your heart. Keep my teachings and live.

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

5 G et wisdom and understanding. Do not forget or turn away from the words of my mouth.

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

6 D o not leave her alone, and she will keep you safe. Love her, and she will watch over you.

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

7 T he beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom! And with all you have gotten, get understanding.

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

8 H onor her and she will honor you. She will honor you if you hold her to your heart.

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

9 S he will put on your head a crown of loving-favor and beauty.”

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

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

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

11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you on the right paths.

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

12 W hen you walk, your steps will not be stopped. If you run, you will not trip.

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

13 T ake hold of teaching. Do not let go. Watch over her, for she is your life.

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

14 D o not go on the path of the sinful. Do not walk in the way of bad men.

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

15 S tay away from it. Do not pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.

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

16 F or they cannot sleep unless they do wrong. They are robbed of sleep unless they make someone 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 sin, and drink the wine of wrong-doing.

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

18 B ut the way of those who are right is like the early morning light. It shines brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

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 sinful is like darkness. They do not know what they trip over.

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

20 M y son, listen to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.

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

21 D o not let them leave your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.

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

22 F or they are life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.

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

23 K eep your heart pure for out of it are the important things of life.

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

24 P ut false speaking away from you. Put bad talk far from you.

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

25 L et your eyes look straight in front of you, and keep looking at what is in front of you.

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

26 W atch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure.

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

27 D o not turn to the right or to the left. Turn your foot away from sin.

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