^8 (A)Hear, my son, your father’s instruction
And ^(B)do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
⁹ Indeed, they are a ^(C)graceful wreath to your head
And ^[a](D)ornaments about your neck.

3 My son, ^(A)do not forget my ^[a]teaching,
But let your heart ^(B)keep my commandments;
² For ^(C)length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.

4 Hear, O sons, the ^(A)instruction of a father,
And ^(B)give attention that you may ^[a]gain understanding,
² For I give you ^[b]sound ^(C)teaching;
^(D)Do not abandon my ^[c]instruction.
³ When I was a son to my father,
^(E)Tender and ^(F)the only son in the sight of my mother,
⁴ Then he ^(G)taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart ^(H)hold fast 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 forsake her, and she will guard you;
^(L)Love her, and she will watch over you.
⁷ “^(M)The ^[d]beginning of wisdom is: ^(N)Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, get understanding.
⁸ “^(O)Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
⁹ “She will place ^(P)on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

5 My son, ^(A)give attention to my wisdom,
^(B)Incline your ear to my understanding;
² That you may ^(C)observe discretion
And your ^(D)lips may reserve knowledge.

7 My son, ^(A)keep my words
And treasure my commandments within you.
^2 (B)Keep my commandments and live,
And my ^[a]teaching ^(C)as the ^[b]apple of your eye.
^3 (D)Bind them on your fingers;
^(E)Write them on the tablet of your heart.

¹⁷ He ^(A)is on the path of life who heeds instruction,
But he who ignores reproof goes astray.

¹⁶ He who ^(A)keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who ^[a]is careless of ^[b]conduct will die.