A Father’s Instruction

1Heare O ye chyldren a fatherly instruction, & take good heede, that ye may learne vnderstanding.

2For I haue geuen you a good doctrine, forsake not ye my lawe.

3For when I my selfe was my fathers deare sonne, and tenderly beloued of my mother:

4He taught me also and sayde vnto me, let thyne heart receaue my wordes, kepe my commaundementes and thou shalt liue.

5Get thee wysdome, and get thee vnderstanding: forget not the wordes of my mouth, and shrinke not from them.

6Forsake her not, and she shall preserue thee, loue her, and she shall kepe thee.

7The chiefe poynt of wysdome, is to possesse wysdome: and before all thy goodes to get thee vnderstanding.

8Make much of her, and she shall promote thee, yea if thou embrace her, she shall bryng thee vnto honour:

9She shal beautifie thy head with manyfolde graces, and garnishe thee with a crowne of glory.

10Heare my sonne, and receaue my wordes, and the yeres of thy life shalbe many.

11I haue shewed thee the way of wysdome, & led thee into the right pathes.

12So that if thou goest in them, there shall no straitnesse hinder thee: & when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall.

13Take fast holde of doctrine, and let her not go: kepe her, for she is thy life.

14Come not in the pathe of the vngodlye, and walke not in the way of the wicked:

15Abhorre it and go not therein, depart aside, and passe ouer by it.

16For they sleepe not except they haue done mischiefe: and sleepe is taken from them, vntyll they haue done harme.

17For they eate the bread of wickednes, and drinke the wine of robberie.

18The path of the righteous shineth, as the light that is euer bryghter and bryghter vnto the perfect day.

19But the way of the vngodly is as the darkenesse, they knowe not where they fall.

20My sonne marke my wordes, and encline thyne eare vnto my sayinges:

21Let them not depart from thine eyes, but kepe them euen in the middest of thyne heart:

22For they are life vnto those that finde them, and health vnto all their bodyes.

23Kepe thyne heart with all diligence, for out of it issueth lyfe.

24Put away from thee a frowarde mouth, and let the lippes of slaunder be farre from thee.

25Let thyne eyes beholde that thyng that is right, and let thyne eye liddes loke straight before thee.

26Ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy wayes be ordred aright.

27Turne not aside, neither to the right hande nor to the left: but wihholde thy foote from euyll.