4:1
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

4:2
For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.

4:3
For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother.

4:4
And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;

4:5
Get wisdom, get understanding; forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;

4:6
Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; love her, and she will keep thee.

4:7
The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.

4:8
Extol her, and she will exalt thee; she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

4:9
She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee.'

4:10
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

4:11
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.

4:12
When thou goest, thy step shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

4:13
Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.

4:14
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.

4:15
Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.

4:16
For they sleep not, except they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

4:17
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

4:18
But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

4:19
The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.

4:20
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

4:21
Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.

4:22
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

4:23
Above all that thou guardest keep thy heart; for out of it are the issues of life.

4:24
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

4:25
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

4:26
Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

4:27
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.