Children in years and know­ledge young,
Your par­ents’ hope, your par­ents’ joy,
Attend the coun­sels of my tongue,
Let pi­ous thoughts your minds em­ploy.

If you de­sire a length of days,
And peace to crown your mor­tal state,
Restrain your feet from im­pi­ous ways,
Your lips from slan­der and de­ceit.

The eyes of God re­gard His saints,
His ears are op­en to their cries;
He sets His frown­ing face against
The sons of vio­lence and lies.

To hum­ble souls and brok­en hearts
God with His grace is ev­er nigh;
Pardon and hope His love im­parts,
When men in deep con­tri­tion lie.

He tells their tears, He counts their groans,
His Son re­deems their souls from death;
His Spir­it heals their brok­en bones,
They in His praise em­ploy their breath.