4 Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain^[a] insight;
² for I give you good precepts:
    do not forsake my teaching.
³ When I was a son with my father,
    tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
⁴ he taught me, and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
    keep my commandments, and live;
⁵ do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
    Get wisdom; get insight.^[b]
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
    love her, and she will guard you.
⁷ The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
    and whatever you get, get insight.
⁸ Prize her highly,^[c] and she will exalt you;
    she will honor you if you embrace her.
⁹ She will place on your head a fair garland;
    she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

¹⁰ Hear, my son, and accept my words,
    that the years of your life may be many.
¹¹ I have taught you the way of wisdom;
    I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
¹² When you walk, your step will not be hampered;
    and if you run, you will not stumble.
¹³ Keep hold of instruction, do not let go;
    guard her, for she is your life.
¹⁴ Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    and do not walk in the way of evil men.
¹⁵ Avoid it; do not go on it;
    turn away from it and pass on.
¹⁶ For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
    they are robbed of sleep unless they have made some one stumble.
¹⁷ For they eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.
¹⁸ But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
    which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
¹⁹ The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
    they do not know over what they stumble.