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¹ Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. ² For I give you a good gift; forsake ye not my law. ³ For I also was a son obedient to my father, and loved in the sight of my mother: ⁴ who spoke and instructed me, saying, Let our speech be fixed in thine heart, keep our commandments, forget them not: ⁵ and do not neglect the speech of my mouth. ⁶ And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: love it, and it shall keep thee. ⁸ Secure it, and it shall exalt thee: honour it, that it may embrace thee; ⁹ that it may give unto thy head a crown of graces, and may cover thee with a crown of delight. ¹⁰ Hear, my son, and receive my words; and the years of thy life shall be increased, that the resources of thy life may be many. ¹¹ For I teach thee the ways of wisdom; and I cause thee to go in right paths. ¹² For when thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not be distressed. ¹³ Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for thyself for thy life.

¹⁴ Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors. ¹⁵ In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not thither; but turn from them, and pass away. ¹⁶ For they cannot sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not. ¹⁷ For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression. ¹⁸ But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come. ¹⁹ But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.

²⁰ My son, attend to my speech; and apply thine ear to my words: ²¹ that thy fountains may not fail thee; keep them in thine heart. ²² For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh. ²³ Keep thine heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life. ²⁴ Remove from thee a froward mouth, and put far away from thee unjust lips. ²⁵ Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids assent to just things. ²⁶ Make straight paths for thy feet, and order thy ways aright. ²⁷ Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away thy foot from an evil way: [for God knows the ways on the right hand, but those on the left are crooked:] and he will make thy ways straight, and will guide thy steps in peace.