1 Hoor, julle seuns, na die tug van die vader, en luister om insig te leer ken;
2 want ek gee aan julle goeie lering, verlaat my onderwysing nie.
3 Want toe ek 'n seun was by my vader, teer en 'n enigste voor my moeder,
4 het hy my geleer en vir my gesê: Laat jou hart my woorde vashou; onderhou my gebooie, dan sal jy lewe.
5 Verkry wysheid, verkry insig; vergeet nie en wyk nie af van die woorde van my mond nie:
6 verlaat dit nie, dan sal dit jou bewaar; kry dit lief, dan sal dit jou bewaak.
7 Die beginsel van die wysheid is: Verwerf wysheid en verwerf insig deur al wat jy besit.
8 Hou dit hoog, dan sal dit jou verhoog; dit sal jou eer as jy dit omhels.
9 Dit sal 'n lieflike krans gee vir jou hoof, dit sal jou 'n sierlike kroon verskaf.
10 Hoor, my seun, en neem my woorde aan; dan sal die lewensjare vir jou vermeerder word.
11 In die weg van die wysheid onderrig ek jou, ek laat jou die spore van opregtheid betree;
12 as jy loop, sal jou treë nie belemmer word nie, en as jy hardloop, sal jy nie struikel nie.
13 Hou vas aan die tug, laat dit nie los nie; bewaar dit, want dit is jou lewe.
14 Kom nie op die pad van die goddelose en betree die weg van die slegtes nie.
15 Vermy dit, gaan nie daarop nie, wyk daarvan af en gaan verby;
16 want hulle kan nie slaap as hulle geen kwaad doen nie; en hulle slaap is weg as hulle nie tot 'n val bring nie.
17 Want hulle eet brood van goddeloosheid en drink wyn van gewelddadigheid.
18 Terwyl die pad van die regverdiges is soos die lig van die môre glans, wat al helderder word tot die volle dag toe,
19 is die weg van die goddelose soos duisternis: hulle weet nie waaroor hulle sal struikel nie.
20 My seun, luister na wat ek sê, neig jou oor tot my woorde,
21 laat hulle nie wyk uit jou oë nie, bewaar hulle binne-in jou hart.
22 Want hulle is die lewe vir die wat hulle vind, en 'n genesing vir hulle hele liggaam.
23 Bewaak jou hart meer as alles wat bewaar moet word, want daaruit is die oorspronge van die lewe.
24 Verwyder van jou die valsheid van mond, en hou ver van jou af die verkeerdheid van lippe.
25 Laat jou oë reguit kyk en jou ooglede hulle reg voor jou uit hou.
26 Maak die pad van jou voet gelyk, en laat al jou weë vas wees,
27 wyk nie regs of links af nie, hou jou voet ver van boosheid.
1 Give ear, my sons, to the teaching of a father; give attention so that you may have knowledge:
2 For I give you good teaching; do not give up the knowledge you are getting from me.
3 For I was a son to my father, a gentle and an only one to my mother.
4 And he gave me teaching, saying to me, Keep my words in your heart; keep my rules so that you may have life:
5 Get wisdom, get true knowledge; keep it in memory, do not be turned away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not give her up, and she will keep you; give her your love, and she will make you safe.
7 The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.
8 Put her in a high place, and you will be lifted up by her; she will give you honour, when you give her your love.
9 She will put a crown of grace on your head, giving you a head-dress of glory.
10 Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.
11 I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.
12 When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.
13 Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.
14 Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.
15 Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.
16 For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall.
17 The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.
18 But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.
19 The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.
20 My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.
21 Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.
22 For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.
23 And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.
24 Put away from you an evil tongue, and let false lips be far from you.
25 Keep your eyes on what is in front of you, looking straight before you.
26 Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.
27 Let there be no turning to the right or to the left, keep your feet from evil.