Advice to Young People
1 My child, listen closely
to my teachings
and learn common sense.
2 My advice is useful,
so don't turn away.
3 When I was still very young
and my mother's favorite child,
my father 4 said to me:
“If you follow my teachings
and keep them in mind,
you will live.
5 Be wise and learn good sense;
remember my teachings
and do what I say.
6 “If you love Wisdom
and don't reject her,
she will watch over you.
7 The best thing about Wisdom
is Wisdom herself;
good sense is more important
than anything else.
8 If you value Wisdom
and hold tightly to her,
great honors will be yours.
9 It will be like wearing
a glorious crown
of beautiful flowers.”
The Right Way and the Wrong Way
10 My child, if you listen
and obey my teachings,
you will live a long time.
11 I have shown you the way
that makes sense;
I have guided you
along the right path.
12 Your road won't be blocked,
and you won't stumble
when you run.
13 Hold firmly to my teaching
and never let go.
It will mean life for you.
14 Don't follow the bad example
of cruel and evil people.
15 Turn aside and keep going.
Stay away from them.
16 They can't sleep or rest
until they do wrong or harm
some innocent victim.
17 Their food and drink
are cruelty and wickedness.
18 The lifestyle of good people
is like sunlight at dawn
that keeps getting brighter
until broad daylight.
19 The lifestyle of the wicked
is like total darkness,
and they will never know
what makes them stumble.
20 My child, listen carefully
to everything I say.
21 Don't forget a single word,
but think about it all.
22 Knowing these teachings
will mean true life
and good health for you.
23 Carefully guard your thoughts
because they are the source
of true life.
24 Never tell lies or be deceitful
in what you say.
25 Keep looking straight ahead,
without turning aside.
26 Know where you are headed,
and you will stay
on solid ground.
27 Don't make a mistake by turning
to the right or the left.
1 Heare, O ye children, the instruction of a father, and giue eare to learne vnderstanding. 2 For I doe giue you a good doctrine: therefore forsake yee not my lawe. 3 For I was my fathers sonne, tender and deare in the sight of my mother, 4 When he taught me, and sayde vnto me, Let thine heart holde fast my woordes: keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue. 5 Get wisedom: get vnderstading: forget not, neither decline from the woordes of my mouth. 6 Forsake her not, and shee shall keepe thee: loue her and shee shall preserue thee. 7 Wisedome is the beginning: get wisedome therefore: and aboue all thy possession get vnderstanding. 8 Exalt her, and she shall exalt thee: she shall bring thee to honour, if thou embrace her. 9 She shall giue a comely ornamet vnto thine head, yea, she shall giue thee a crowne of glorie. 10 Heare, my sonne, and receiue my wordes, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe many. 11 I haue taught thee in ye way of wisedom, and led thee in the pathes of righteousnesse. 12 Whe thou goest, thy gate shall not be strait, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall. 13 Take holde of instruction, and leaue not: keepe her, for shee is thy life. 14 Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of euill men. 15 Auoide it, and goe not by it: turne from it, and passe by. 16 For they can not sleepe, except they haue done euill, and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall. 17 For they eate the breade of wickednesse, and drinke the wine of violence. 18 But the way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfite day. 19 The way of the wicked is as the darkenes: they knowe not wherein they shall fall. 20 My sonne, hearken vnto my wordes, incline thine eare vnto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes, but keepe them in the middes of thine heart. 22 For they are life vnto those that find them, and health vnto all their flesh. 23 Keepe thine heart with all diligence: for thereout commeth life. 24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and put wicked lippes farre from thee. 25 Let thine eyes beholde the right, and let thine eyelids direct thy way before thee. 26 Ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy waies be ordred aright. 27 Turne not to the right hande, nor to the left, but remooue thy foote from euill.