✧Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding; ✧2for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law. ✧3For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother. ✧4He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live. ✧5Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth. ✧6Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you. ✧7Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding. ✧8Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her. ✧9She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.” ✧10Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many. ✧11I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths. ✧12When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble. ✧13Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life. ✧14Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men. ✧15Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on. ✧16For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall. ✧17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. ✧18But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day. ✧19The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over. ✧20My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings. ✧21Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart. ✧22For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body. ✧23Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life. ✧24Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you. ✧25Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you. ✧26Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established. ✧27Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.