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- ¶ HEAR, O my children, the instruction of a father, and give ear to knowledge and understanding.
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- Because I give you good doctrine, do not forsake my law.
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- For I was also a son to my father, tender and the only begotten in the sight of my mother.
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- He taught me, and said to me, Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live; and let my law be as the pupil of the eye.
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- Get wisdom, get understanding;
and turn not aside from the words of my mouth.
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- Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
love her, and she will save you.
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- Wisdom is the principal thing;
therefore get wisdom; and with all your substance get understanding.
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- Love her, and she shall exalt you;
embrace her, and she shall honor you.
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- She shall put upon your head an ornament of grace;
a crown of glory shall she bestow upon you.
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- Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings;
and the years of your life shall be many.
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- I have taught you the ways of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
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- When you walk, your steps will not be unsteady;
and when you run, you will not stumble.
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- Take fast hold of my instruction, and do not forsake her;
keep her, for she is your life.
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- ¶ Do not walk in the way of evil men, and do not envy the way of the wicked.
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- The place where they dwell, do not pass by it, turn away from it,
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- For they do not sleep until they have done mischief;
and their sleep is taken away until their evil devices are carried out.
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- For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
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- But the path of the righteous is like the shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day.
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- The way of the wicked is like darkness;
they do not know at what they stumble.
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- ¶ My son, attend to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
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- Do not let them depart from your eyes;
but keep them in the midst of your heart.
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- For they are life to him who finds them, and health to all his flesh.
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- Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
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- Put away from you a perverse mouth, and the counsel of deceit put far from your lips.
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- Let your eyes look straight forward, and let your eyelids look straight before you.
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- Keep your feet away from evil paths;
then all your ways shall be firm.
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- Turn not to the right hand nor to the left;
but remove your foot from evil.
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