⁴ To give ^(A)prudence to the naive,
To the youth ^(B)knowledge and discretion,

4 Listen, my sons, to the ^(A)instruction of a father,
And ^(B)pay attention so that you may ^[a]gain understanding,
² For I give you good ^(C)teaching;
^(D)Do not abandon my ^[b]instruction.
³ When I was a son to my father,
^(E)Tender and ^(F)the only son in the sight of my mother,
⁴ He ^(G)taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart ^(H)take hold of my words;
^(I)Keep my commandments and live;
^5 (J)Acquire wisdom! ^(K)Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
⁶ Do not abandon her, and she will guard you;
^(L)Love her, and she will watch over you.
^7 (M)The ^[c]beginning of wisdom is: ^(N)Acquire wisdom;
And with all your possessions, acquire understanding.

5 My son, ^(A)pay attention to my wisdom,
^(B)Incline your ear to my understanding,
² So that you may ^(C)maintain discretion
And your ^(D)lips may comply with knowledge.

9 Wisdom has ^(A)built her house,
She has carved out her seven pillars;
² She has ^[a](B)prepared her food, she has ^(C)mixed her wine;
She has also ^(D)set her table;
³ She has ^(E)sent out her attendants, she ^(F)calls out
From the ^(G)tops of the heights of the city:
⁴ “^(H)Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!”
To him who ^(I)lacks ^[b]understanding she says,
⁵ “Come, ^(J)eat of my food
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
^6 [c]Abandon your foolishness and ^(K)live,
And ^(L)proceed in the way of understanding.”

⁸ The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,
But ^(A)the foolishness of fools is deceit.

¹⁵ The naive believes everything,
But the sensible person considers his steps.

⁵ The plans of the ^(A)diligent certainly lead to advantage,
But everyone ^(B)who is in a hurry certainly comes to poverty.