Chapter 4

Hear,³ ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend⁵⁴ to know² understanding.

For I give¹ you good doctrine, forsake⁴ ye not my law.

For I was my father's son, tender and only [beloved] in the sight of my mother.

He taught⁵⁵ me also, and said⁴ unto me, Let thine heart retain⁴ my words: keep³ my commandments, and live.³

Get³ wisdom, get³ understanding: forget⁴ [it] not; neither decline⁴ from the words of my mouth.

Forsake⁴ her not, and she shall preserve⁴ thee: love³ her, and she shall keep⁴ thee.

Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get³ wisdom: and with all thy getting get³ understanding.

Exalt⁴⁵ her, and she shall promote³⁴ thee: she shall bring thee to honour,¹⁷ when thou dost embrace¹⁷ her.

She shall give⁴ to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver¹⁷ to thee.

Hear,³ O my son, and receive³ my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.⁴

I have taught⁵² thee in the way of wisdom; I have led⁵² thee in right paths.

When thou goest,² thy steps shall not be straitened;⁴ and when thou runnest,⁴ thou shalt not stumble.¹¹

Take fast hold⁵⁴ of instruction; let [her] not go:⁵⁵ keep³ her; for she [is] thy life.

Enter⁴ not into the path of the wicked, and go¹⁷ not in the way of evil [men].

Avoid³ it, pass⁴ not by it, turn³ from it, and pass away.³

For they sleep⁴ not, except they have done mischief;⁵⁵ and their sleep is taken away,⁸ unless they cause [some] to fall.^{55 3782 4}

For they eat¹ the bread of wickedness, and drink⁴ the wine of violence.

But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth¹ more and more⁶ unto the perfect¹² day.

The way of the wicked [is] as darkness: they know¹ not at what they stumble.¹¹

My son, attend⁵⁴ to my words; incline⁵⁴ thine ear unto my sayings.

Let them not depart⁵⁵ from thine eyes; keep³ them in the midst of thine heart.

For they [are] life unto those that find⁶ them, and health to all their flesh.

Keep³ thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.

Put away⁵⁴ from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far⁵⁴ from thee.

Let thine eyes look⁵⁵ right on, and let thine eyelids look straight⁵⁵ before thee.

Ponder¹⁶ the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.¹¹

Turn⁴ not to the right hand nor to the left: remove⁵⁴ thy foot from evil.