1 H ear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to 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 good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.

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

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

When I was a son with my father, tender and the only son 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 and said to me, Let your heart hold fast 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 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 F orsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.

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

7 T he first thing wisdom -- get wisdom, And with all thy getting 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 xalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost 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 giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.

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

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

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

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

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

Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; guard her, for she is your 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, do not go on it; turn from it and pass on.

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 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 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 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 as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.

The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.

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

My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to 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 your sight; keep them in the center of your heart.

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

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

23 A bove every charge keep thy heart, For out of it the outgoings 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 T urn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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