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A Father's Instruction

¹ Hear, O sons, the ^(C1)instruction of a father,
And ^(C2)give attention that you may ^(F1)gain understanding,

² For I give you ^(F1)sound ^(C1)teaching;
^(C2)Do not abandon my ^(F2)instruction.

³ When I was a son to my father,
^(C1)Tender and ^(C2)the only son in the sight of my mother,

⁴ Then he ^(C1)taught me and said to me,
"Let your heart ^(C2)hold fast my words;
^(C3)Keep my commandments and live;

^5 (C1)Acquire wisdom! ^(C2)Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

⁶ "Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;
^(C1)Love her, and she will watch over you.

⁷ "^(C1)The ^(F1)beginning of wisdom is: ^(C2)Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, get understanding.

⁸ "^(C1)Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.

⁹ "She will place ^(C1)on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty."

¹⁰ Hear, my son, and ^(C1)accept my sayings
And the ^(C2)years of your life will be many.

¹¹ I have ^(C1)directed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.

¹² When you walk, your ^(C1)steps will not be impeded;
And if you run, you ^(C2)will not stumble.

^13 (C1)Take hold of instruction; do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your ^(C2)life.

^14 (C1)Do not enter the path of the wicked
And do not proceed in the way of evil men.

¹⁵ Avoid it, do not pass by it;
Turn away from it and pass on.

¹⁶ For they ^(C1)cannot sleep unless they do evil;
And ^(F1)they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.

¹⁷ For they ^(C1)eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸ But the ^(C1)path of the righteous is like the ^(C2)light of dawn,
That ^(C3)shines brighter and brighter until the ^(C4)full day.

¹⁹ The ^(C1)way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know over what they ^(F1)(C2)stumble.

²⁰ My son, ^(C1)give attention to my words;
^(C2)Incline your ear to my sayings.

^21 (C1)Do not let them depart from your sight;
^(C2)Keep them in the midst of your heart.

²² For they are ^(C1)life to those who find them
And ^(C2)health to all ^(F1)their body.

²³ Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For ^(C1)from it flow the springs of life.

²⁴ Put away from you a ^(C1)deceitful mouth
And ^(C2)put devious ^(F1)speech far from you.

²⁵ Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your ^(F1)gaze be fixed straight in front of you.

^26 (C1)Watch the path of your feet
And all your ^(C2)ways will be established.

^27 (C1)Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
^(C2)Turn your foot from evil.