1 L isten, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and 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 sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.

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

3 F or I was a son to my father, tender and an only child 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 H e taught me, and said to me: “Let your 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. Don’t forget, neither swerve 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 D on’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

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

7 W isdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, 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 steem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you 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 your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”

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

10 L isten, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

14 D on’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk 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, and don’t pass 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 don’t sleep, unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone 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 like the dawning light, that shines more and more until 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 like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.

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. Turn your ear to my sayings.

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

21 L et them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.

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

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

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

23 K eep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring 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 yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.

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

25 L et your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.

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

26 M ake the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.

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

27 D on’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.

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