PROVERBS 4 [†]  f Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,

and be attentive, that you may  g gain [1] insight,

2 for I give you good  h precepts;

do not forsake my teaching.

3 When I was a son with my father,

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

4 he  k taught me and said to me,

 l “Let your heart hold fast my words;

 m keep my commandments, and live.

5  n Get wisdom; get  g 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;

 o love her, and she will guard you.

7[†]  p The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,

and whatever you get, get  g insight.

8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;

she will  q honor you  r if you embrace her.

9 She will place on your head  s a graceful garland;

she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

10[†]  f Hear,  t my son, and accept my words,

that  u the years of your life may be many.

11 I have  v taught you the way of wisdom;

I have led you in the paths of uprightness.

12[†] When you walk,  w your step will not be hampered,

and  x if you run, you will not stumble.

13[^]  y Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;

guard her, for she is your  z life.

14[†]  a 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  b 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

 c and drink the wine of violence.

18[†] But  d the path of the righteous is like  e the light of dawn,

which shines  f brighter and brighter until  g full day.

19  h The way of the wicked is like deep  i darkness;

they do not know over what they  j stumble.

20[†]  k My son, be attentive to my words;

incline your ear to my sayings.

21  l Let them not escape from your sight;

 m keep them within your heart.

22 For they are  n life to those who find them,

and healing to all their [2] flesh.

23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,

for  o from it flow  p the springs of life.

24[†] Put away from you  q crooked speech,

and put  r devious talk far from you.

25[†]  s Let your eyes look directly forward,

and your gaze be straight before you.

26[†]  t Ponder [3] the path of your feet;

 u then all your ways will be sure.

27  v Do not swerve to the right or to the left;

turn your foot away from evil.