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A Father’s Instruction

¹ Listen, my sons, to the instruction of a father; pay attention and gain understanding.² For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my instruction.³ When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,⁴ he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commandments and you will live.⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.⁶ Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.⁷ Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. If it costs all you have to acquire, gain understanding.⁸ Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.⁹ She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”¹⁰ Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.¹¹ I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.¹² When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.¹³ Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.

¹⁴ Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.¹⁵ Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.¹⁶ For they cannot sleep unless they do evil, they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall,¹⁷ since they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.¹⁸ The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.

²⁰ My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.²¹ Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.²² For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.²³ Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.²⁴ Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.²⁵ Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.²⁶ Make level paths^(a) for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.²⁷ Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.