⁴ for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,^[a](A)
knowledge and discretion^(B) to a young man—

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)

5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
listen closely^[a] to my understanding^(A)
2 so that you may maintain discretion
and your lips safeguard knowledge.^(B)

9 Wisdom has built her house;^(A)
she has carved out her seven pillars.
² She has prepared her meat;^(B) she has mixed her wine;^(C)
she has also set her table.^(D)
3 She has sent out her female servants;^(E)
she calls out from the highest points of the city:^(F)
4 “Whoever is inexperienced, enter here!”
To the one who lacks sense,^(G) she says,
⁵ “Come, eat my bread,^(H)
and drink the wine I have mixed.
⁶ Leave inexperience behind, and you will live;
pursue the way of understanding.