⁸ My son, hear thy ^[a]father’s instruction, and forsake not thy ^[b]mother’s teaching.

⁹ For they shall be ^[c]a comely ornament unto thine head, and as chains for thy neck.

3 1 The words of God giveth life. 5 Trust in God. 7 Fear him. 9 Honor him. 11 Suffer his correction:  21 To them that follow the word of God, all things shall succeed well.

¹ My son, forget not thou my Law, but let thine heart ^(A)keep my commandments.

² For they shall increase the length of thy ^[a]days and the years of life, and thy prosperity.

4 1 Wisdom and her fruits ought to be searched. 14 The way of the wicked must be refused. 20 By the word of God the heart, eyes, and course of life must be guided.

¹ Hear, O ye children, the instruction of a ^[a]father, and give ear to learn understanding.

² For I do give you a good doctrine: therefore forsake ye not my law.

³ For I was my father’s son, tender and dear in the sight of my mother,

⁴ When he ^[b]taught me, and said unto me, Let thine heart hold fast my words: keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.

⁵ Get wisdom: get understanding: forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Forsake her not, and she shall keep thee: love her and she shall preserve thee.

^7 [c]Wisdom is the beginning: get wisdom therefore: and above all thy possession get understanding.

⁸ Exalt her, and she shall exalt thee: she shall bring thee to honor, if thou embrace her.

⁹ She shall give a comely ornament unto thine head, yea, she shall give thee a crown of glory.

¹⁰ ¶ Hear, my son: and receive my words, and the years of thy life shall be many.

¹¹ I have ^[d]taught thee in the way of wisdom, and led thee in the paths of righteousness.

¹² When thou goest, thy gait shall not be ^[e]strait, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall.

¹³ Take hold of instruction, and leave not: keep her, for she is thy life.

²⁰ ¶ My son, hearken unto my words, incline thine ear unto my sayings.

²¹ Let them not depart from thine eyes, but keep them in the midst of thine heart.

²² For they are life unto those that find them: and health unto all their ^[a]flesh.

5 3 Whoredom is forbidden, 9 And prodigality. 15 He willeth a man to live on his labors and to help others, 18 To love his wife. 22 The wicked taken in their own wickedness.

¹ My son, hearken unto my wisdom, and incline thine ear unto my ^[a]knowledge,

² That thou mayest regard counsel, and thy lips observe knowledge.

²⁰ ¶ My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not thy mother’s instruction.

²¹ Bind them always upon thine ^[a]heart, and tie them about thy neck.

²² It shall lead thee when thou walkest: it shall watch for thee when thou sleepest, and when thou wakest, it shall talk with thee.

²³ For the ^[b]commandment is a lantern, and instruction a light: and ^[c]corrections for instruction are the way of life,

7 1 An exhortation to wisdom and to the word of God. 5 Which will preserve us from the harlot, 6 Whose manners are described.

¹ My son keep my words, and hide my commandments with thee.

² Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live, and mine instruction, as the ^[a]apple of thine eyes.

³ Bind them upon thy fingers, and write them upon the table of thine heart.

¹⁷ He that regardeth instruction is in the way of life: but he that refuseth correction, goeth out of the way.

¹⁶ He that keepeth the commandment, keepeth his own soul: but he that despiseth his ways, shall die.