Proverbs

A Father’s Instruction

1Listen, 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 wickedor walk in the way of evildoers.

15Avoid it; do not travel on it.Turn from it and pass on by.

16For they cannot sleepunless they do evil;they are deprived of slumberuntil they make someone fall.

17For they eat the bread of wickednessand 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.

1Listen, 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 wickednessand drink the wine of violence.

18But the path of the righteous is like the dawning lightthat 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.