4:1 Hear, [my] sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding: 4:2 For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law. 4:3 For I was a son unto my father, Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4:4 And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live; 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth; 4:6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee. 4:7 Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [Therefore] get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding. 4:8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her. 4:9 She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; A crown of beauty will she deliver to thee. 4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; And the years of thy life shall be many. 4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness. 4:12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; Let her not go: Keep her; For she is thy life. 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, And walk not in the way of evil men. 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it; Turn from it, and pass on. 4:16 For they sleep not, except they do evil; And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence. 4:18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: They know not at what they stumble. 4:20 My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings. 4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart. 4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh. 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. 4:24 Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee. 4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 4:26 Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established. 4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.