✧Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. ✧2For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive. ✧3When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother, ✧4he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live. ✧5Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them. ✧6Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you. ✧7Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding. ✧8Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. ✧9She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.” ✧10Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many. ✧11I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths. ✧12When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble. ✧13Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life. ✧14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. ✧15Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by. ✧16For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall. ✧17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. ✧18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. ✧19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble. ✧20My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. ✧21Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. ✧22For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body. ✧23Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life. ✧24Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech. ✧25Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. ✧26Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. ✧27Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.