¹Hør, I sønner, på en Faders lyt til for at vinde Forstand;

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

²thi gavnlig Viden giver jeg jer, slip ej hvad jeg har lært jer.

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

³Da jeg var min Faders Dreng, min Moders Kælebarn og eneste,

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

⁴lærte han mig og sagde: Lad dit Hjerte gribe om mine Ord, vogt mine Bud, så skal du leve;

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

⁵køb Visdom, køb Forstand, du glemme det ikke, vend dig ej bort fra min Munds Ord;

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

⁶slip den ikke, så vil den vogte dig, elsk den, så vil den værne dig!

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

⁷Køb Visdom for det bedste, du ejer, køb Forstand for alt, hvad du har;

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

⁸hold den højt, så bringer den dig højt til Vejrs, den bringer dig Ære, når du favner den;

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

⁹den sætter en yndig Krans på dit Hoved; den rækker dig en dejlig Krone.

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

¹⁰Hør, min Søn, tag imod mine Ord, så bliver dine Leveår mange.

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

¹¹Jeg viser dig Visdommens Vej, leder dig ad Rettens Spor;

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

¹²når du går, skal din Gang ej hæmmes, og løber du, snubler du ikke;

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

¹³hold fast ved Tugt, lad den ikke fare, tag Vare på den, thi den er dit Liv.

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

¹⁴Kom ikke på gudløses Sti, skrid ej frem ad de ondes Vej.

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

¹⁵sky den og følg den ikke, vig fra den, gå udenom;

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

¹⁶thi de sover ikke, når de ikke har syndet, og Søvnen flyr dem, når de ej har bragt Fald.

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

¹⁷Thi de æder Gudløsheds Brød og drikker Urettens Vin.

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

¹⁸men retfærdiges Sti er som strålende Lys, der vokser i Glans til højlys Dag:

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

¹⁹Gudløses Vej er som Mørket, de skønner ej, hvad de snubler over,

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

²⁰Mærk dig, min Søn, mine Ord, bøj Øret til, hvad jeg siger;

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

²¹det slippe dig ikke af Syne, du vogte det dybt i dit Hjerte;

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

²²thi det er Liv for dem, der finder det, Helse for alt deres Kød.

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

²³Vogt dit Hjerte mer end alt andet, thi derfra udspringer Livet.

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

²⁴Hold dig fra Svig med din Mund, lad Læbernes Falskhed være dig fjern.

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

²⁵Lad dine Øjne se lige ud, dit Blik skue lige frem;

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

²⁶gå ad det lige Spor, lad alle dine Veje sigte mod Målet;

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

²⁷bøj hverken til højre eller venstre, lad Foden vige fra ondt!

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