4 Listen, my sons, to a father’s discipline,^(A)
and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,
² for I am giving you good instruction.^(B)
Don’t abandon my teaching.
³ When I was a son with my father,
tender and precious to my mother,
⁴ he taught me and said:
“Your heart must hold on to my words.
Keep my commands and live.^(C)
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;^(D)
don’t forget or turn away from the words of my mouth.
⁶ Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you;
love her,^(E) and she will guard you.
⁷ Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom.
And whatever else you get, get understanding.^(F)
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
if you embrace her, she will honor you.^(G)
9 She will place a garland of grace on your head;
she will give you a crown of beauty.”^(H)

¹⁰ Listen, my son. Accept my words,^(I)
and you will live many years.^(J)
11 I am teaching you the way of wisdom;
I am guiding you on straight paths.^(K)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered;^(L)
when you run, you will not stumble.^(M)
13 Hold on to instruction; don’t let go.^(N)
Guard it, for it is your life.
¹⁴ Don’t set foot on the path of the wicked;^(O)
don’t proceed in the way of evil ones.
¹⁵ Avoid it; don’t travel on it.
Turn away from it, and pass it by.
¹⁶ For they can’t sleep
unless they have done what is evil;
they are robbed of sleep
unless they make someone stumble.^(P)
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
¹⁸ The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,^(Q)
shining brighter and brighter until midday.
¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;^(R)
they don’t know what makes them stumble.^(S)

²⁰ My son, pay attention to my words;
listen closely to my sayings.^(T)
21 Don’t lose sight of them;^(U)
keep them within your heart.
²² For they are life to those who find them,
and health to one’s whole body.
²³ Guard your heart above all else,^[a]
for it is the source of life.^(V)
24 Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly,^(W)
and don’t let your lips talk deviously.
²⁵ Let your eyes look forward;
fix your gaze^[b] straight ahead.^(X)
26 Carefully consider the path^[c] for your feet,^(Y)
and all your ways will be established.
²⁷ Don’t turn to the right or to the left;^(Z)
keep your feet away from evil.