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A Father's Advice About Wisdom

¹ Children, listen to your father's teaching. Pay attention and you will learn how to learn. ² The advice I give is good, so don't ever forget what I teach you.

³ When I was my father's little boy and my mother's dear son,^{[a] 4} my father taught me this: "Pay attention to what I say. Obey my commands and you will have a good life. ⁵ Try to get wisdom and understanding. Don't forget my teaching or ignore what I say. ⁶ Don't turn away from wisdom, and she will protect you. Love her, and she will keep you safe.

⁷ "The first step to becoming wise is to look for wisdom, so use everything you have to get understanding. ⁸ Love wisdom, and she will make you great. Hold on to wisdom, and she will bring you honor. ⁹ Wisdom will reward you with a crown of honor and glory."

¹⁰ Son, listen to me. Do what I say, and you will live a long time. ¹¹ I am teaching you about wisdom and guiding you on the right path. ¹² As you walk on it, you will not step into a trap. Even if you run, you will not trip and fall. ¹³ Always remember this teaching. Don't forget it. It is the key to life, so guard it well.

¹⁴ Don't take the path of the wicked; don't follow those who do evil. ¹⁵ Stay away from that path; don't even go near it. Turn around and go another way. ¹⁶ The wicked cannot sleep until they have done something evil. They will not rest until they bring someone down. ¹⁷ Evil and violence are their food and drink.

¹⁸ The path of those who live right is like the early morning light. It gets brighter and brighter until the full light of day. ¹⁹ But the path of the wicked is like a dark night. They trip and fall over what they cannot see.

²⁰ My son, pay attention to what I say. Listen closely to my words. ²¹ Don't let them out of your sight. Never stop thinking about them. ²² These words are the secret of life and health to all who discover them. ²³ Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life.

²⁴ Don't bend the truth or say things that you know are not right. ²⁵ Keep your eyes on the path, and look straight ahead. ²⁶ Make sure you are going the right way, and nothing will make you fall. ²⁷ Don't go to the right or to the left, and you will stay away from evil.