Read the Bible

^1 (a)Hear, O sons, a father's instruction,
    and be attentive, that you may ^(b)gain^[a] insight,
² for I give you good ^(c)precepts;
    do not forsake my teaching.
³ When I was a son with my father,
    ^(d)tender, ^(e)the only one in the sight of my mother,
⁴ he ^(f)taught me and said to me,
^(g)"Let your heart hold fast my words;
    ^(h)keep my commandments, and live.
^5 (i)Get wisdom; get ^(j)insight;
    do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
⁶ Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
    ^(k)love her, and she will guard you.
^7 (l)The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
    and whatever you get, get ^(m)insight.
⁸ Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
    she will ⁽ⁿ⁾honor you ^(o)if you embrace her.
⁹ She will place on your head ^(p)a graceful garland;
    she will bestow on you a beautiful crown."

^10 (q)Hear, ^(r)my son, and accept my words,
    that ^(s)the years of your life may be many.
¹¹ I have ^(t)taught you the way of wisdom;
    I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
¹² When you walk, ^(u)your step will not be hampered,
    and ^(v)if you run, you will not stumble.
^13 (w)Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
    guard her, for she is your ^(x)life.
^14 (y)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    and do not walk in the way of the evil.
¹⁵ Avoid it; do not go on it;
    turn away from it and pass on.
¹⁶ For they ^(z)cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
    they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
¹⁷ For they eat the bread of wickedness
    ^(aa)and drink the wine of violence.
¹⁸ But ^(ab)the path of the righteous is like ^(ac)the light of dawn,
    which shines ^(ad)brighter and brighter until ^(ae)full day.
^19 (af)The way of the wicked is like deep ^(ag)darkness;
    they do not know over what they ^(ah)stumble.

^20 (ai)My son, be attentive to my words;
    incline your ear to my sayings.
^21 (aj)Let them not escape from your sight;
    ^(ak)keep them within your heart.
²² For they are ^(al)life to those who find them,
    and healing to all their^[b] flesh.
²³ Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for ^(am)from it flow ^(an)the springs of life.
²⁴ Put away from you ^(ao)crooked speech,
    and put ^(ap)devious talk far from you.
^25 (aq)Let your eyes look directly forward,
    and your gaze be straight before you.
^26 (ar)Ponder^[c] the path of your feet;
    ^(as)then all your ways will be sure.
^27 (at)Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
    turn your foot away from evil.