A Father’s Instruction

1Heare, O ye children, the instruction of a father, and giue eare to learne vnderstanding.

2For I doe giue you a good doctrine: therefore forsake yee not my lawe.

3For I was my fathers sonne, tender and deare in the sight of my mother,

4When he taught me, and sayde vnto me, Let thine heart holde fast my woordes: keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue.

5Get wisedom: get vnderstading: forget not, neither decline from the woordes of my mouth.

6Forsake her not, and shee shall keepe thee: loue her and shee shall preserue thee.

7Wisedome is the beginning: get wisedome therefore: and aboue all thy possession get vnderstanding.

8Exalt her, and she shall exalt thee: she shall bring thee to honour, if thou embrace her.

9She shal giue a comely ornamet vnto thine head, yea, she shal giue thee a crowne of glorie.

10Heare, my sonne, & receiue my wordes, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe many.

11I haue taught thee in ye way of wisedom, and led thee in the pathes of righteousnesse.

12Whe thou goest, thy gate shal not be strait, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall.

13Take holde of instruction, and leaue not: keepe her, for shee is thy life.

14Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of euill men.

15Auoide it, and goe not by it: turne from it, and passe by.

16For they can not sleepe, except they haue done euill, and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall.

17For they eate the breade of wickednesse, and drinke the wine of violence.

18But the way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfite day.

19The way of the wicked is as the darkenes: they knowe not wherein they shall fall.

20My sonne, hearken vnto my wordes, incline thine eare vnto my sayings.

21Let them not depart from thine eyes, but keepe them in the middes of thine heart.

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

23Keepe thine heart with all diligence: for thereout commeth life.

24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and put wicked lippes farre from thee.

25Let thine eyes beholde the right, and let thine eyeliddes direct thy way before thee.

26Ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy waies be ordred aright.

27Turne not to the right hande, nor to the left, but remooue thy foote from euill.