Wisdom Passed Down from Father to Son
Study note
Solomon shares how his own father, King David, taught him as a young boy to seek wisdom above everything else. This shows that wisdom was meant to be passed from generation to generation. The instruction to 'get wisdom' is repeated urgently, like a parent giving their child the most important advice of their life.
1 Children, when your father gives you instruction, pay attention. Tune in so you can learn to understand things well. Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 What I am passing on to you is valuable teaching. Do not walk away from it. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
3 I was once a boy myself, learning at my father's knee. I was my mother's precious only child. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 My father would look me in the eye and say, "Grip my words tight and never let go. Live by what I tell you, and your life will go well." He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
5 "Chase after wisdom! Go after understanding! Do not ignore what I am saying or walk away from it." Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
6 "Never turn your back on wisdom; she will be your protector. If you love her, she will always keep you safe." Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
7 "Here is the single most important thing: get wisdom. Pour everything you have into gaining understanding." Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
8 "Treat wisdom with respect and she will promote you. Wrap your arms around her and she will give you a place of honor." Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9 "She will set a lovely wreath on your head and present you with a magnificent crown." She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
The Path of the Wicked and the Path of the Righteous
Study note
Life is described as two very different paths. The path of the righteous is like the first light of dawn that gets brighter until full daylight. The path of the wicked is complete darkness where people stumble and do not even know what tripped them. This imagery would have been powerful in the ancient world, where walking in the dark without any light was truly dangerous.
10 Pay attention to what I am telling you, my child. Take it in, and it will add years to your life. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 I have pointed you toward wisdom and guided you onto the path that leads to a good life. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12 As you travel that road, nothing will stand in your way. Even when you pick up speed, you will not stumble and fall. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Grab on to these teachings with both hands and refuse to let go, because they are the key to a full life. Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14 Stay off the road that wicked people travel. Do not walk in the direction that evil people go. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid that path entirely. Do not even get close to it. Steer around it and keep moving. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16 Evil people lose sleep when they have not caused harm. If they cannot make someone else fall, they toss and turn all night. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 Doing wrong is like their daily bread, and hurting others is the drink they wash it down with. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 The road good people walk on is like the first light of morning. It keeps getting brighter and brighter until the sun is shining at full strength. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The road wicked people walk is pitch black. They trip and fall without even understanding what caught their feet. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
Guard Your Heart Above All Else
Study note
The famous command to 'guard your heart' comes from this passage. In Hebrew thinking, the heart was not just about emotions. It was the center of your thoughts, your will, and your choices. Everything you do in life flows from what is in your heart. The father tells his son to guard his words, his eyes, and his steps, keeping everything focused on the right path.
20 My child, let every word I say reach deep inside you. Open your ears wide to what I am teaching. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Never let these words drift out of your sight. Plant them deep down inside your heart. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 They bring real life to anyone who takes hold of them and total health to every part of the body. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Guard your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Throw dishonest words out of your vocabulary. Make sure nothing crooked ever comes out of your mouth. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25 Keep your eyes focused on what is straight ahead. Lock your gaze on the road before you. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Think through every step you are about to take, and every path you walk will be solid. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27 Do not veer off to the right or the left. Pull your feet far back from anything evil. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.