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[1]Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
[2]For I give you a good gift; forsake ye not my law.
[3]For I also was a son obedient to my father, and loved in the sight of my mother:
[4]who spoke and instructed me, saying, Let our speech be fixed in thine heart, keep our commandments, forget them not:
[5]and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
[6]And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: love it, and it shall keep thee.
[7][No verse]
[8]Secure it, and it shall exalt thee: honour it, that it may embrace thee;
[9]that it may give unto thy head a crown of graces, and may cover thee with a crown of delight.
[10]Hear, my son, and receive my words; and the years of thy life shall be increased, that the resources of thy life may be many.
[11]For I teach thee the ways of wisdom; and I cause thee to go in right paths.
[12]For when thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not be distressed.
[13]Take hold of my instruction; let it not go,—but keep it for thyself for thy life.
[14]Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
[15]In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not thither; but turn from them, and pass away.
[16]For they cannot sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
[17]For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
[18]But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
[19]But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
[20]My son, attend to my speech; and apply thine ear to my words:
[21]that thy fountains may not fail thee; keep them in thine heart.
[22]For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
[23]Keep thine heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
[24]Remove from thee a froward mouth, and put far away from thee unjust lips.
[25]Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids assent to just things.
[26]Make straight paths for thy feet, and order thy ways aright.
[27]Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away thy foot from an evil way: [for God knows the ways on the right hand, but those on the left are crooked:] and he will make thy ways straight, and will guide thy steps in peace.
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