⁴ that fellness, or wariness, be given to little children, and knowing and understanding to a young waxing man. (so that cleverness, and caution, be given to people of little wit, or of low intelligence, and knowledge and understanding to a young growing man.)

²¹ My son, these things float not away from thine eyes; keep thou my law, and my counsel; (My son, let not these things float away from thine eyes; keep thou my instructions, and my advice, near to thee;)

²² and life shall be to thy soul, and grace to thy cheeks. (and thou shalt have life, and gain favour.)

²³ Then thou shalt go trustily in thy way (Then thou shalt go with trust on thy way); and thy foot shall not stumble.

²⁴ If thou shalt sleep, thou shalt not dread; thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be soft [and sweet shall be thy sleep]. (When thou shalt sleep, thou shalt not fear; thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.)

²⁵ Dread thou not of sudden fear, and the powers of wicked men falling in on thee. (Fear thou not sudden disaster, and the power, or the might, of the wicked falling in upon thee.)

²⁶ For the Lord shall be at thy side; and he shall keep thy foot (safe), that thou be not taken.

4 Sons, hear ye the teaching of your father; and perceive ye (and understand ye), (so) that ye know prudence.

² I shall give to you a good gift; forsake ye not my law. (I give you a good gift; do not ye abandon my instructions.)

³ For why and I was the son of my father, a tender son, and one begotten, before my mother. (For I was my father’s son, a tender son, and my mother’s only child.)

⁴ And my father taught me, and said, Thine heart receive my words; keep thou my behests (obey my commands), and thou shalt live.

⁵ Wield thou wisdom, wield thou prudence; forget thou not, neither bow thou away from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Forsake thou not it, and it shall keep thee (safe); love thou it, and it shall keep thee (safe).

⁷ The beginning of wisdom, wield thou wisdom; and in all thy possession, get thou prudence. (The beginning of wisdom, is that thou first obtain wisdom; and among all thy possessions, of greatest importance is that thou get understanding.)

5 My son, perceive thou my wisdom, and bow down thine ear to my prudence; (My son, pay attention to my wisdom, and listen to my understanding of things;)

² (so) that thou keep thy thoughts (proper), and thy lips keep teaching (and thy lips speak knowingly).

9 Wisdom builded an house to himself (Wisdom built a house for himself); he hewed out seven pillars,

² he offered his slain sacrifices, he meddled wine (he mixed in spices with the wine), and setted forth his table.

³ He sent his handmaids (He sent forth his servantesses), that they should call to the tower; and to the walls of the city.

⁴ If any man is little (in wit), come he to me. And wisdom spake to unwise men, (and said,) (And that they should say, If any one hath little intelligence, come he to me. And then wisdom spoke to the unwise, and said,)

⁵ Come ye, eat ye my bread; and drink ye the wine, which I have meddled to you (and drink ye the wine, in which I have mixed in spices for you).

⁶ Forsake ye young childhood, and live ye; and go ye by the way of prudence. (Abandon ye foolishness, and have life; and go ye on the way of understanding.)

¹⁰ The beginning of wisdom is the dread of the Lord; and prudence is the knowing of saints. (The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord; and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding./The beginning of wisdom is reverence for the Lord; and to know the Holy One is to have understanding.)

⁸ The wisdom of a fell man is to understand his way; and the unwariness of fools erreth. (The wisdom of a clever person is to understand his own way; but the carelessness of fools maketh them to err.)

¹⁵ An innocent man believeth to each word; a fell man beholdeth his goings. (An innocent person believeth each and every word; a clever person regardeth, or watcheth, his own steps.)

⁵ The thoughts of a strong man be ever in abundance; but each slow man is ever in neediness. (The thoughts of a strong person be forevermore on abundance, or on plenty; but those of each person in haste be forevermore on neediness./Carefully-made plans shall be successful; but each person in haste shall be forever in need.)

³ A fell man seeth evil, and hideth himself; and an innocent man passed, and he was tormented by harm. (A clever person seeth evil coming, and hideth himself; but a gullible person passed forth, or kept going, and so he was tormented by harm.)