¹持定训诲、不偏左右孩子们，要听父亲的教训，留心学习哲理；

¹Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.

²因为我授予你们的，是美好的学问，我的训诲，你们不可离弃。

²For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.

³我在我父亲面前还是小孩子，在我母亲面前是独一的娇儿的时候，

³For, a son I have been to my father — tender, And an only one before my mother.

⁴父亲教导我，对我说：“你的心要持守我的话，你要遵守我的诫命，就可以存活；

⁴And he directeth me, and he saith to me: `Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.

⁵要求取智慧和哲理，不可忘记，也不可偏离我口中的话。

⁵Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.

⁶不可离弃智慧，智慧就必护卫你；喜爱智慧，智慧就必看顾你。

⁶Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.

⁷智慧的开端（“智慧的开端”或译：“智慧是首要的”）是求取智慧，要用你所得的一切换取哲理。

⁷The first thing [is] wisdom — get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.

⁸你要高举智慧，智慧就必使你高升；你要怀抱智慧，智慧就必使你得尊荣。

⁸Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.

⁹智慧必把华冠加在你头上，把荣冕赐给你。”

⁹She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.

¹⁰我儿，你要听，并要接受我所说的，这样，你就必延年益寿。

¹⁰Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to thee.

¹¹我指教你走智慧的道，引导你行正直的路。

¹¹In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.

¹²你行走的时候，脚步必不会受阻碍；你奔跑的时候，也不会跌倒。

¹²In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.

¹³你要坚守教训，不可放松；要谨守教训，因为那是你的生命。

¹³Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.

¹⁴不可走进恶人的路径，不可踏上坏人的道路。

¹⁴Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.

¹⁵要躲避，不可从那里经过，要转身离去。

¹⁵Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.

¹⁶因为他们不行恶，就不能入睡；不使人跌倒，就要失眠。

¹⁶For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.

¹⁷他们吃的，是奸恶的饭；他们喝的，是强暴的酒。

¹⁷For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.

¹⁸义人的路径却像黎明的曙光，越来越明亮，直到日午。

¹⁸And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,

¹⁹恶人的道路幽暗，他们不知道自己因什么跌倒。

¹⁹The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.

²⁰我儿，要留心听我的话，侧耳听我所说的。

²⁰My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,

²¹不可让它们离开你的眼目，要谨记在你的心中。

²¹Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.

²²因为得着它们就是得着生命，整个人也得着医治。

²²For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.

²³你要谨守你的心，胜过谨守一切，因为生命的泉源由此而出。

²³Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.

²⁴你要除掉欺诈的口，远离乖谬的嘴唇。

²⁴Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,

²⁵你双眼要向前正视，你的眼睛要向前直望。

²⁵Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.

²⁶你要谨慎你脚下的路径，你一切所行的就必稳妥。

²⁶Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.

²⁷不可偏左偏右，要使你的脚远离恶事。

²⁷Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!