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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!