1  Hear, O sons, a father’s ^rinstruction,

and be attentive, that you may gain¹ insight,

2  for I give you good precepts;

^sdo not forsake my teaching.

3  When I was a son with my father,

tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,

4  he taught me and said to me,

“Let your ^theart hold fast my words;

^ukeep my commandments, ^vand live.

5  ^wGet wisdom; get insight;

^xdo not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.

6  Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;

love her, and she will ^yguard you.

7  The ^zbeginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,

and whatever you get, get insight.

8  Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;

she will honor you if you embrace her.

9  She will place on your head a ^agraceful garland;

she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

10  Hear, my son, and ^baccept my words,

that the years of your life may be ^cmany.

11  I have taught you the way of wisdom;

I have led you in the ^dpaths of uprightness.

12  When you walk, your step will not be hampered,

and if you run, you will not stumble.

13  ^eKeep hold of ^finstruction; do not let go;

guard her, for she is your ^glife.

14  Do not enter the ^hpath 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 ⁱthey cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;

they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.