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

1 Audite, filii, disciplinam patris,
et attendite ut sciatis prudentiam.

2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

2 Donum bonum tribuam vobis:
legem meam ne derelinquatis.

3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

3 Nam et ego filius fui patris mei,
tenellus et unigenitus coram matre mea.

4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

4 Et docebat me, atque dicebat:
Suscipiat verba mea cor tuum;
custodi præcepta mea, et vives.

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

5 Posside sapientiam, posside prudentiam:
ne obliviscaris, neque declines a verbis oris mei.

6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

6 Ne dimittas eam, et custodiet te:
dilige eam, et conservabit te.

7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

7 Principium sapientiæ: posside sapientiam,
et in omni possessione tua acquire prudentiam.

8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

8 Arripe illam, et exaltabit te;
glorificaberis ab ea cum eam fueris amplexatus.

9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

9 Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum,
et corona inclyta proteget te.

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

10 ¶ Audi, fili mi, et suscipe verba mea,
ut multiplicentur tibi anni vitæ.

11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

11 Viam sapientiæ monstrabo tibi;
ducam te per semitas æquitatis:

12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

12 quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui,
et currens non habebis offendiculum.

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

13 Tene disciplinam, ne dimittas eam;
custodi illam, quia ipsa est vita tua.

14 ¶ Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

14 Ne delecteris in semitis impiorum,
nec tibi placeat malorum via.

15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

15 Fuge ab ea, nec transeas per illam;
declina, et desere eam.

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

16 Non enim dormiunt nisi malefecerint,
et rapitur somnus ab eis nisi supplantaverint.

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

17 Comedunt panem impietatis,
et vinum iniquitatis bibunt.

18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

18 Justorum autem semita quasi lux splendens procedit,
et crescit usque ad perfectam diem.

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

19 Via impiorum tenebrosa;
nesciunt ubi corruant.

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

20 Fili mi, ausculta sermones meos,
et ad eloquia mea inclina aurem tuam.

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

21 Ne recedant ab oculis tuis:
custodi ea in medio cordis tui:

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

22 vita enim sunt invenientibus ea,
et universæ carni sanitas.

23 ¶ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

23 Omni custodia serva cor tuum,
quia ex ipso vita procedit.

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

24 Remove a te os pravum,
et detrahentia labia sint procul a te.

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

25 Oculi tui recta videant,
et palpebræ tuæ præcedant gressus tuos.

26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

26 Dirige semitam pedibus tuis,
et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.

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

27 Ne declines ad dexteram neque ad sinistram;
averte pedem tuum a malo:
vias enim quæ a dextris sunt novit Dominus:
perversæ vero sunt quæ a sinistris sunt.
Ipse autem rectos faciet cursus tuos,
itinera autem tua in pace producet.