1 audite filii disciplinam patris et adtendite ut sciatis prudentiam
2 donum bonum tribuam vobis
legem meam ne derelinquatis
3 nam et ego filius fui patris mei tenellus
et unigenitus coram matre mea
4 et docebat me atque dicebat
suscipiat verba mea cor tuum
custodi praecepta mea et vives
5 posside sapientiam posside prudentiam
ne obliviscaris neque declines a verbis oris mei
6 ne dimittas eam et custodiet te
dilige eam et servabit te
7 principium sapientiae posside sapientiam
et in omni possessione tua adquire prudentiam
8 arripe illam et exaltabit te
glorificaberis ab ea cum eam fueris amplexatus
9 dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum et corona inclita proteget te
10 audi fili mi et suscipe verba mea ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitae
11 viam sapientiae monstravi tibi
duxi te per semitas aequitatis
12 quas cum ingressus fueris non artabuntur gressus tui
et currens non habebis offendiculum
13 tene disciplinam ne dimittas eam
custodi illam quia ipsa est vita tua
14 ne delecteris semitis impiorum
nec tibi placeat malorum via
15 fuge ab ea ne transeas per illam
declina et desere eam
16 non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint
et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi subplantaverint
17 comedunt panem impietatis et vinum iniquitatis bibunt
18 iustorum autem semita quasi lux splendens procedit
et crescit usque ad perfectam diem
19 via impiorum tenebrosa nesciunt ubi corruant
20 fili mi ausculta sermones meos
et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam
21 ne recedant ab oculis tuis custodi ea in medio cordis tui
22 vita enim sunt invenientibus ea et universae carni sanitas
23 omni custodia serva cor tuum quia ex ipso vita procedit
24 remove a te os pravum et detrahentia labia sint procul a te
25 oculi tui recta videant et palpebrae tuae praecedant gressus tuos
26 dirige semitam pedibus tuis
et omnes viae tuae stabilientur
27 ne declines ad dexteram et ad sinistram
averte pedem tuum a malo
1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 3 For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. 10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. 11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. 12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14 ¶ Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men . 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20 ¶ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 ¶ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.