1 H ear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

2 F or good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.

For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

3 F or, a son I have been to my father -- tender, And an only one before my mother.

For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

4 A nd he directeth me, and he saith to me: `Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.

He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

5 G et wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.

Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

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

Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

7 T he first thing wisdom -- get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

8 E xalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.

Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

9 S he giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.

She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

10 H ear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life multiplied to thee.

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

11 I n a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.

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

12 I n thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.

When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

13 L ay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she thy life.

Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

14 I nto the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.

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

15 A void it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.

Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

16 F or they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not to stumble.

For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

17 F or they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.

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

18 A nd the path of the righteous as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

19 T he way of the wicked as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.

The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

20 M y son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,

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

21 L et them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.

Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

22 F or life they to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.

For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

23 A bove every charge keep thy heart, For out of it the outgoings of life.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

24 T urn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,

Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

25 T hine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

26 P onder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways established.

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

27 I ncline not the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!

Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.