Skip to content- 1Verse 1. Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
- 2Verse 2. For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
- 3Verse 3. When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
- 4Verse 4. he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
- 5Verse 5. Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
- 6Verse 6. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
- 7Verse 7. Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
- 8Verse 8. Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
- 9Verse 9. She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
- 10Verse 10. Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
- 11Verse 11. I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
- 12Verse 12. When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
- 13Verse 13. Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
- 14Verse 14. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
- 15Verse 15. Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
- 16Verse 16. For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
- 17Verse 17. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
- 18Verse 18. The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
- 19Verse 19. But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
- 20Verse 20. My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
- 21Verse 21. Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
- 22Verse 22. For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
- 23Verse 23. Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
- 24Verse 24. Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
- 25Verse 25. Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
- 26Verse 26. Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
- 27Verse 27. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.