^8 (A)Hear, my son, your father’s discipline
And ^(B)do not abandon your mother’s ^[a]instruction;
⁹ For they are a ^(C)garland of grace for your head
And ^[b](D)ornaments about your neck.

3 My son, ^(A)do not forget my ^[a]law,
But let your heart ^(B)guard 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)discipline of a father,
And ^(B)pay attention that you may know understanding,
² For I give you ^[a]sound ^(C)learning;
^(D)Do not forsake my ^[b]instruction.
³ When I was a son to my father,
^(E)Tender and ^(F)the only son before my mother,
⁴ Then he ^(G)instructed 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 and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.
⁶ Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
^(L)Love her, and she will guard you.
^7 [c](M)The beginning of wisdom is: ^(N)Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, acquire understanding.
^8 (O)Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
⁹ She will give ^(P)for your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

5 My son, ^(A)pay attention to my wisdom,
^(B)Incline your ear to my discernment;
² That you may ^(C)keep discretion
And that your ^(D)lips may guard knowledge.

^20 (A)My son, observe the commandment of your father
And do not abandon the ^[a]law of your mother;
^21 (B)Bind them continually on your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
²² When you ^(C)walk about, ^[b]they will lead you;
When you sleep, ^[c]they will keep watch over you;
And when you awake, ^[d]they will speak to you.
²³ For ^(D)the commandment is a lamp and the ^[e]law is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life

7 My son, ^(A)keep my words
And treasure my commandments within you.
^2 (B)Keep my commandments and live,
And my ^[a]law ^(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 keeps discipline,
But he who forsakes reproof makes ^[a]himself wander about.

¹⁶ He who ^(A)keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who despises his way will die.