Admonition to Follow Righteousness and Avoid Wickedness
*Listen, children, to a father’s instruction, and pay attention so that you may gain discernment.*Because I give you good instruction, do not forsake my teaching.*When I was a son to my father, a tender only child before my mother,*he taught me, and he said to me: “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands so that you will live.*Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding; do not forget and do not turn aside from the words I speak. *Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will guard you.*Wisdom is supreme – so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding! *Esteem her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.*She will place a fair garland on your head; she will bestow a beautiful crown on you.”*Listen, my child, and accept my words, so that the years of your life will be many. *I will guide you in the way of wisdom and I will lead you in upright paths. *When you walk, your steps will not be hampered, and when you run, you will not stumble.*Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; protect it, because it is your life.*Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil.*Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it, and go on. *For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble. *For they eat bread gained from wickedness and drink wine obtained from violence. *But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, growing brighter and brighter until full day. *The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness; they do not know what causes them to stumble. *My child, pay attention to my words; listen attentively to my sayings.*Do not let them depart from your sight, guard them within your heart; *for they are life to those who find them and healing to one’s entire body. *Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life.*Remove perverse speech from your mouth; keep devious talk far from your lips. *Let your eyes look directly in front of you and let your gaze look straight before you.*Make the path for your feet level, so that all your ways may be established. *Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn yourself away from evil.
