1Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2For I doe giue you a good doctrine: therefore forsake yee not my lawe. 3For I was my fathers sonne, tender and deare in the sight of my mother, 4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 5Get wisedom: get vnderstading: forget not, neither decline from the woordes of my mouth. 6Forsake her not, and shee shall keepe thee: loue her and shee shall preserue thee. 7Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8Exalt her, and she shall exalt thee: she shall bring thee to honour, if thou embrace her. 9She shal giue a comely ornamet vnto thine head, yea, she shal giue thee a crowne of glorie. 10Heare, my sonne, & receiue my wordes, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe many. 11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. 12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 13Take holde of instruction, and leaue not: keepe her, for shee is thy life. 14Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of euill men. 15Auoide it, and goe not by it: turne from it, and passe by. 16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause [some] to fall. 17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19The way of the wicked is as the darkenes: they knowe not wherein they shall fall. 20My sonne, hearken vnto my wordes, incline thine eare vnto my sayings. 21Let them not depart from thine eyes, but keepe them in the middes of thine heart. 22For they [are] life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life. 24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and put wicked lippes farre from thee. 25Let thine eyes beholde the right, and let thine eyeliddes direct thy way before thee. 26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27Turne not to the right hande, nor to the left, but remooue thy foote from euill.