¹⁹ Give ear, my son, and be wise, guiding your heart in the right way.

¹⁰ Give ear, O my son, and let your heart be open to my sayings; and long life will be yours.

¹¹ I have given you teaching in the way of wisdom, guiding your steps in the straight way.

¹² When you go, your way will not be narrow, and in running you will not have a fall.

¹³ Take learning in your hands, do not let her go: keep her, for she is your life.

¹⁴ Do not go in the road of sinners, or be walking in the way of evil men.

¹⁵ Keep far from it, do not go near; be turned from it, and go on your way.

¹⁶ For they take no rest till they have done evil; their sleep is taken away if they have not been the cause of someone's fall.

¹⁷ The bread of evil-doing is their food, the wine of violent acts their drink.

¹⁸ But the way of the upright is like the light of early morning, getting brighter and brighter till the full day.

¹⁹ The way of sinners is dark; they see not the cause of their fall.

²⁰ My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.

²¹ Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.

²² For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.

²³ And keep watch over your heart with all care; so you will have life.

⁶ Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:

⁶ Give up the simple ones and have life, and go in the way of knowledge.

¹² Give your heart to teaching, and your ears to the words of knowledge.

²⁶ My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes take delight in my ways.