Poetry

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Wisdom Is Supreme

1 Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.

Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction,
For I have come to this obvious deduction;
You will gain understanding and sound learning,
If you will not from any of my teaching be turning.


3 When I was a boy in my father's house,
still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4 he taught me and said,
"Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands and you will live.

When I was an only child at home with mom and dad,
He taught me something for which I have always been glad,
He said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
You will live long if from my commands you never depart.

5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.

Dad said to get wisdom, get understanding; it was get, get, get!
But he also said never swerve from my words, and never forget.
And for your own protection do not ever wisdom forsake;
Love her and she will be a guardian who is always awake.


7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.

Get wisdom my son, get wisdom, for she is supreme,
And she will exalt you beyond your wildest dream.
If you embrace her, and give her your highest esteem
She will so honor you that no cost will seem to extreme.

9 She will set a garland of grace on your head
and present you with a crown of splendor."

Lady wisdom will set on your head a garland of grace,
And a crown of splendor that will put a smile on your face.


10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
11 I guide you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.

Listen my son, and accept all that I say,
They add many years to your life along the way.
I guide you in the way of wisdom, and not fate,
For it will lead you along in paths that are straight.

12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.

When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
So hold instruction tight, don't let yourself be pampered.
When you run, you will not stumble,
If you guard this source of life, and never let it tumble.

14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.

On the path of the wicked never your foot set;
Walk not in the way of evil men, for that you would regret.
Do not travel that way, and in every way that way avoid,
Just go on your way and turn from it like you would typhoid.

16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil;
they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.

The wicked have to do evil before they can sleep,
And they cannot get tired until they've been a creep.
They need to make someone fall, for that is their bread,
And their drink is the wine of violence when someone is dead.

18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.


The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn;
Shining ever brighter as the sunlight moves on,
But the way of the wicked is like darkness so deep,
They don't even know why they stumble as in darkness they creep.

20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;

My son pay attention to what I say,
And listen closely to my words that you must obey.
Never let them out of your sight,
But love them in your heart with all of your might.

22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man's whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.

They are life to those who these words find,
And they give health to the whole man, body and mind.
Above all else, guard you heart as you would your wife,
For wisdom like this is the wellspring of life.

24 Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.

Get rid of all the perversity which from your mouth comes out,
For cleaning up corrupt talk is part of what wisdom is about.
As you are getting rid of the language of hell,
Set the focus of your eyes on a strait path as well.
Wise is the man with a steadfast face,
Who does not wander all over the place;
Nor does he travel with no goal in a daze,
But has a clear vision and a fixed goal for his gaze.


26 Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.
27 Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.

Keep your feet my son on the level,
For slippery slopes will bring the devil,
And take only ways that are clearly firm;
Don't just guess it is solid ground; confirm.
As you walk through life neither to the right or left swerve,
Just keep going straight, and never take that evil curve.

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