The father's authority: 'I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.' 'Sound learning' (tushiyyah, a term for practical, effective wisdom) is what the father offers. 'Do not forsake' (al ta'azubu) means do not abandon, renounce, or turn away from. The father's confidence that he has something worth transmitting is not arrogance but recognition of the wisdom tradition's value. He addresses his son as one who has received this teaching and is now responsible to preserve and pass it on. The imperative not to abandon suggests that preservation requires active commitment against the forces that would displace traditional wisdom.

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