A Father’s Instruction

1Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

2For I gave to you good instruction; ye shall not forsake my law.

3For I was son to my father; tender and only before the face of my mother.

4And he taught me, and he will say to me, Thy heart shall hold fast my words: watch my commands and live.

5Obtain wisdom, obtain understanding: thou shalt not forget, and thou shalt not decline from the words of my mouth.

6Thou shalt not forsake her, and she will watch thee: love her, and she will guard thee.

7Wisdom the beginning; obtain wisdom, and with all thine acquisition, obtain understanding.

8Lift her up and she shall exalt thee: she will honor thee when thou shalt embrace her.

9She will give to thy head a garland of grace: a crown of glory she will deliver thee.

10Hear, my son, and receive my words, and the years of life shall be multiplied to thee.

11In the way of wisdom I taught thee; I caused thee to tread in the tracks of uprightness.

12In thy going, thy steps shall not be pressed; and if thou shalt run thou shalt not be weak.

13Lay hold upon instruction, thou shalt not let go: guard her for she is thy life.

14In the path of the unjust thou shalt not go, and thou shalt not advance in the way of the wicked.

15Reject it, thou shalt not pass in it; turn aside from it and pass by.

16For they slept not, if they shall not do evil; and their sleep was taken away, if they shall not cause to falter.

17For they ate the bread of injustice, and they will drink the wine of violences:

18The path of the just as the light shining, going and shining even to the day prepared.

19The way of the unjust as darkness: they shall not know in what they shall stumble.

20My son, attend to my word; incline thine ear to my sayings.

21They shall not turn aside from thine eyes; watch them in the midst of thy heart.

22For they are life to those finding them, and healing to all their flesh.

23Guard thy heart with all watching, for from it the goings forth of life.

24Turn away from thee perverseness of mouth, and frowardness of lips remove far oft from thee.

25Thine eyes shall look straight before, and thine eyelashes shall be right before thee.

26Make level the track of thy feet, and all thy ways shall be prepared.

27Thou shalt not decline to the right and the left: turn away thy foot from evil.