Read the Bible

¹ Children, listen to the instruction of a father,
    and be attentive in order to know insight.
² For I have given you good instruction;
    do not forsake my teaching.
³ When I was a son to my father,
    tender and alone before my mother,
⁴ he taught me and said to me,
    "May your heart hold fast to my words;
    guard my commandments and live.
⁵ Get wisdom and insight;
    do not forget and do not turn from the sayings of my mouth.
⁶ Do not forsake her—then she will guard you;
    love her and she will keep you.
⁷ The beginning of wisdom: Get wisdom!
    With all that is in your possession, gain insight.
⁸ Cherish her and she will exalt you;
    she will honor you if you embrace her.
⁹ She will give a garland for your head;
    she shall bestow a crown of glory upon you."

¹⁰ Listen, my child, take my sayings,
    and the years of your life shall be great.
¹¹ In the way of wisdom I have instructed you;
    I have led you in the path of uprightness.
¹² When you walk,^[a] your step will not be hampered,
    and if you run, you will not stumble.
¹³ Seize the instruction! Do not let go!
    Guard her, for she is your life.
¹⁴ In the path of the wicked do not go;
    do not walk in the way of those who do evil.
¹⁵ Avoid it; do not transgress it;
    turn away from it and pass by.
¹⁶ For they will not sleep if they have not done wrong,
    and they are robbed of their sleep if they do not cause stumbling.
¹⁷ For they ate the bread of wickedness,
    and they drank the wine of violence.
¹⁸ But the path of the righteous ones is like the light of dawn,
    leading and shining until the day is full.^[b]
19 The way of the wicked ones is like deep darkness;
    they do not know what they stumble over.

²⁰ My child, be attentive to my words;
    to my sayings incline your ear.
²¹ May they not escape from your sight;^[c]
    keep them in the midst of your heart.
²² For they are life to those who find them
    and healing to the entire body.^[d]
23 With all vigilance, keep your heart,
    for from it comes the source^[e] of life.
²⁴ Remove from yourself deceitful speech,^[f]
    and abolish devious talk^[g] from yourself.
²⁵ May your eyes look forward^[h]
    and your gaze be straight before you.
²⁶ May the path of your foot be balanced
    and all your ways be sure.
²⁷ Do not swerve right or left;
    remove your foot from evil.