4:1 Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding. 4:2 For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not. 4:3 For, a son I have been to my father--tender, And an only one before my mother. 4:4 And he directeth me, and he saith to me: `Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live. 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth. 4:6 Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee. 4:7 The first thing [is] wisdom--get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding. 4:8 Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her. 4:9 She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely. 4:10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to thee. 4:11 In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness. 4:12 In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not. 4:13 Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.  4:14 Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers. 4:15 Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on. 4:16 For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble. 4:17 For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink. 4:18 And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established, 4:19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.  4:20 My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear, 4:21 Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart. 4:22 For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing. 4:23 Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life. 4:24 Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee, 4:25 Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee. 4:26 Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established. 4:27 Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!