Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother,

If they say, 'Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,

And they for their own blood lay wait, They watch secretly for their own lives.

Turn back at my reproof, lo, I pour forth to you my spirit, I make known my words with you.

My son, if thou dost accept my sayings, And my commands dost lay up with thee,

Even to lay up for the upright substance, A shield for those walking uprightly.

My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,

For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.

Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she is thy life.

Till when, O slothful one, dost thou lie? When dost thou arise from thy sleep?

Keep, my son, the command of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother.

For a lamp is the command, And the law a light, And a way of life are reproofs of instruction,

My son! keep my sayings, And my commands lay up with thee.

Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye.

And, lo, a woman to meet him -- (A harlot's dress, and watchful of heart,

The wise lay up knowledge, and the mouth of a fool is near ruin.

Lo, the righteous in the earth is recompensed, Surely also the wicked and the sinner!

The words of the wicked are: 'Lay wait for blood,' And the mouth of the upright delivereth them.

The law of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.

When thou sayest, 'Lo, we knew not this.' Is not the Ponderer of hearts He who understandeth? And the Keeper of thy soul He who knoweth? And He hath rendered to man according to his work.

Lay not wait, O wicked one, At the habitation of the righteous. Do not spoil his resting-place.

And lo, it hath gone up -- all of it -- thorns! Covered its face have nettles, And its stone wall hath been broken down.

A little sleep -- a little slumber -- A little folding of the hands to lie down.

Those forsaking the law praise the wicked, Those keeping the law plead against them.

Whoso is keeping the law is an intelligent son, And a friend of gluttons, Doth cause his father to blush.

Whoso is turning his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

Without a Vision is a people made naked, And whoso is keeping the law, O his happiness!

To the leech are two daughters, 'Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said 'Sufficiency;'

Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness is on her tongue.