^5 (A)A fool despises his father’s instruction,
^(B)But he who ^[a]receives correction is prudent.

^20 (A)A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man despises his mother.

^(B)A wise son makes a glad father,
But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.

¹⁰ Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
^(J)And the years of your life will be many.
¹¹ I have ^(K)taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
¹² When you walk, ^(L)your steps will not be hindered,
^(M)And when you run, you will not stumble.
¹³ Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.

^14 (N)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not walk in the way of evil.

⁷ “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,
And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
^8 (A)Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
^(B)Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But ^(A)knowledge is easy to him who understands.

²⁰ My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
²¹ Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
²² For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.

¹⁴ Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men,
Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,
¹⁵ Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,
And with Sheol we are in agreement.
When the overflowing scourge passes through,
It will not come to us,
^(A)For we have made lies our refuge,
And under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.”