A Father’s Wise Instruction

4 fHear, O sons, a father’s instruction,

and be attentive, that you may ggain1 insight,

2  for I give you good hprecepts;

do not forsake my teaching.

3  When I was a son with my father,

itender, jthe only one in the sight of my mother,

4  he ktaught me and said to me,

l“Let your heart hold fast my words;

mkeep my commandments, and live.

5  nGet wisdom; get ginsight;

do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.

6  Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;

olove her, and she will guard you.

7  pThe beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,

and whatever you get, get ginsight.

8  Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;

she will qhonor you rif you embrace her.

9  She will place on your head sa graceful garland;

she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

10  fHear, tmy son, and accept my words,

that uthe years of your life may be many.

11  I have vtaught you the way of wisdom;

I have led you in the paths of uprightness.

12  When you walk, wyour step will not be hampered,

and xif you run, you will not stumble.

13  yKeep hold of instruction; do not let go;

guard her, for she is your zlife.

14  aDo not enter the path of the wicked,

and do not walk in the way of the evil.

15  Avoid it; do not go on it;

turn away from it and pass on.

16  For they bcannot sleep unless they have done wrong;

they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.

17  For they eat the bread of wickedness

cand drink the wine of violence.

18  But dthe path of the righteous is like ethe light of dawn,

which shines fbrighter and brighter until gfull day.

19  hThe way of the wicked is like deep idarkness;

they do not know over what they jstumble.

20  kMy son, be attentive to my words;

incline your ear to my sayings.

21  lLet them not escape from your sight;

mkeep them within your heart.

22  For they are nlife to those who find them,

and healing to all their2 flesh.

23  Keep your heart with all vigilance,

for ofrom it flow pthe springs of life.

24  Put away from you qcrooked speech,

and put rdevious talk far from you.

25  sLet your eyes look directly forward,

and your gaze be straight before you.

26  tPonder3 the path of your feet;

uthen all your ways will be sure.

27  vDo not swerve to the right or to the left;

turn your foot away from evil.