A Father’s Instruction

The father summons his sons to listen, then recalls how he himself was taught to hold fast to wisdom and understanding. Wisdom is set forth as the supreme acquisition, worthy of love and pursuit because she preserves, honors, and crowns those who prize her.

L¹isten, my sons, to a father’s instruction; ²For I give you sound teaching; ³When I was a son to my father, ⁴he taught me and said, ⁵Get wisdom, get understanding; ⁶Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; ⁷Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. ⁸Prize her, and she will exalt you; ⁹She will set a garland of grace on your head;

The son is told to receive these words so that life will be lengthened, and he is assured that the way of wisdom is a straight path where steps are not hindered. Instruction must therefore be held fast and guarded as life itself.

¹⁰Listen, my son, and receive my words, ¹¹I will guide you in the way of wisdom; ¹²When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; ¹³Hold on to instruction; do not let go.

The learner is warned to avoid the path of the wicked entirely, because evil people are restless until they do harm and live on wickedness like daily food. By contrast, the path of the righteous shines brighter and brighter, while the wicked stumble in darkness without knowing what brought them down.

¹⁴Do not set foot on the path of the wicked ¹⁵Avoid it; do not travel on it. ¹⁶For they cannot sleep ¹⁷For they eat the bread of wickedness ¹⁸The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, ¹⁹But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;

The son must attend carefully to the father's words, keeping them within the heart because they are life and healing. He is then told to guard the heart above all, put crooked speech away, fix his eyes straight ahead, make level paths for his feet, and not swerve from the way.

²⁰My son, pay attention to my words; ²¹Do not lose sight of them; ²²For they are life to those who find them, ²³Guard your heart with all diligence, ²⁴Put away deception from your mouth; ²⁵Let your eyes look forward; ²⁶Make a level path for your feet, ²⁷Do not swerve to the right or to the left;