1Hear, ye banim, the musar (instruction, discipline) of an av,
and attend to know binah (understanding).

2For I give you lekach tov (good doctrine, good instruction),
forsake ye not my torah.

3For I was ben to avi,
tender and yachid (an only child) before immi.

4He taught me also, and said unto me,
Let thine lev retain my words;
be shomer over my mitzvot, and live.

5Acquire chochmah, acquire binah (understanding); forget it not;
neither turn from the words of my peh (mouth).

6Forsake her not, and she shall be shomer over thee;
love her, and she shall protect thee.

7Chochmah is the principal thing;
therefore get chochmah, and with all thy getting get binah (understanding).

8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee;
she shall honor thee with kavod, when thou dost embrace her.

9She shall give to thine head a garland of chen;
an ateret (crown) of tiferet (glory) shall she present to thee.

10Hear, O beni (my son), and receive my sayings;
and thy shnot chayyim shall be many.

11I have taught thee in the derech chochmah;
I have led thee in ma'aglei yosher (right paths).

12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be hindered;
and when thou runnest, lo tikashel (thou shalt not stumble).

13Take firm hold of musar;
let her not go; guard her; for she is thy chayyim.

14Enter not into the orach resha'im,
and go not on the derech ra'im (road of the wicked).

15Avoid it, travel al (not) on it,
turn from it, and pass on.

16For they sleep not, unless they have done evil;
and their sheynah (sleep) is robbed, unless they cause some to fall.

17For they eat the lechem of resha,
and drink the yayin of chamasim (violences).

18But the orach tzaddikim (path of the righteous) is as the bright light,
that shineth brighter and brighter unto the full day.

19The derech resha'im is as deep darkness;
they know not at what they stumble.

20Beni (my son), attend to my words;
incline thine ozen unto my sayings.

21Let them not depart from thine eyes;
be shomer over them within thine lev.

22For they are chayyim unto those that find them,
and health to all their basar.

23Set watch over and guard thy lev with all diligence;
for out of it are the totze'ot chayyim (issues, wellsprings of life). ²

24Put away from thee a deceitful peh (mouth),
and perverse sfatayim (lips) put far from thee.

25Let thine eynayim look straight forward,
and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

26Ponder the ma'agal (path) of thy raglayim,
and let all thy drakhim be firm.

27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left;
remove thy regel from rah. ³