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My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother;

for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

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My son, hear the instruction of thy father,
And forsake not the [a]law of thy mother:
For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head,
And chains about thy neck.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:8 Or, teaching

Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

Listen, my son,(A) to your father’s(B) instruction
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(C)
They are a garland to grace your head
    and a chain to adorn your neck.(D)

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My son, forget not my law, but let thine heart keep my commandments;

for length of days and long life and peace shall they add to thee.

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My son, forget not my [a]law;
But let thy heart keep my commandments:
For length of days, and years of life,
And peace, will they add to thee.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:1 Or, teaching

Wisdom Bestows Well-Being

My son,(A) do not forget my teaching,(B)
    but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years(C)
    and bring you peace and prosperity.(D)

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Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and be attentive to know understanding.

For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not my law.

For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

He taught me also and said unto me, “Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments and live.

Get wisdom, get understanding; forget it not, neither decline from the words of my mouth.

Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee; love her, and she shall keep thee.

Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting, get understanding.

Exalt her, and she shall promote thee; she shall bring thee honor when thou dost embrace her.

She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.”

10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be many.

11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

13 Hold fast to instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.

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Hear, my sons, the instruction of a father,
And attend to know understanding:
For I give you good doctrine;
Forsake ye not my [a]law.
For I was a son unto my father,
Tender and [b]only beloved in the sight of my mother.
And he taught me, and said unto me:
Let thy heart retain my words;
Keep my commandments, and live;
Get wisdom, get understanding;
Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee;
Love her, and she will keep thee.
[c]Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom;
Yea, with all [d]thy getting get understanding.
Exalt her, and she will promote thee;
She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her.
She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace;
A crown of [e]beauty will she deliver to thee.

10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings;
And the years of thy life shall be many.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom;
I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened;
And if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go:
Keep her; for she is thy life.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:2 Or, teaching
  2. Proverbs 4:3 Hebrew an only one.
  3. Proverbs 4:7 Or, The beginning of wisdom is, Get wisdom
  4. Proverbs 4:7 Or, thou hast gotten
  5. Proverbs 4:9 Or, glory

Get Wisdom at Any Cost

Listen, my sons,(A) to a father’s instruction;(B)
    pay attention and gain understanding.(C)
I give you sound learning,
    so do not forsake my teaching.
For I too was a son to my father,
    still tender, and cherished by my mother.
Then he taught me, and he said to me,
    “Take hold(D) of my words with all your heart;
    keep my commands, and you will live.(E)
Get wisdom,(F) get understanding;
    do not forget my words or turn away from them.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;(G)
    love her, and she will watch over you.(H)
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom.
    Though it cost all(I) you have,[b] get understanding.(J)
Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
    embrace her, and she will honor you.(K)
She will give you a garland to grace your head
    and present you with a glorious crown.(L)

10 Listen, my son,(M) accept what I say,
    and the years of your life will be many.(N)
11 I instruct(O) you in the way of wisdom
    and lead you along straight paths.(P)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
    when you run, you will not stumble.(Q)
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
    guard it well, for it is your life.(R)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:7 Or Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
  2. Proverbs 4:7 Or wisdom. / Whatever else you get

20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thine heart;

22 for they are life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh.

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20 My son, attend to my words;
Incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes;
Keep them in the midst of thy heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them,
And health to all their flesh.

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20 My son,(A) pay attention to what I say;
    turn your ear to my words.(B)
21 Do not let them out of your sight,(C)
    keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
    and health to one’s whole body.(D)

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My son, attend unto my wisdom and bow thine ear to my understanding,

that thou mayest have regard for discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.

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My son, attend unto my wisdom;
Incline thine ear to my understanding:
That thou mayest preserve discretion,
And that thy lips may keep knowledge.

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Warning Against Adultery

My son,(A) pay attention to my wisdom,
    turn your ear to my words(B) of insight,
that you may maintain discretion
    and your lips may preserve knowledge.

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20 My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

23 For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life

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20 My son, keep the commandment of thy father,
And forsake not the [a]law of thy mother:
21 Bind them continually upon thy heart;
Tie them about thy neck.
22 When thou walkest, it shall lead thee;
When thou [b]sleepest, it shall watch over thee;
And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23 For [c]the commandment is a lamp; and [d]the law is light;
And reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:20 Or, teaching
  2. Proverbs 6:22 Hebrew liest down.
  3. Proverbs 6:23 Or, their commandment
  4. Proverbs 6:23 Or, their teaching

Warning Against Adultery

20 My son,(A) keep your father’s command
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(B)
21 Bind them always on your heart;
    fasten them around your neck.(C)
22 When you walk, they will guide you;
    when you sleep, they will watch over you;
    when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For this command is a lamp,
    this teaching is a light,(D)
and correction and instruction
    are the way to life,(E)

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My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

Keep my commandments and live, and my law as the apple of thine eye.

Bind them upon thy fingers; write them upon the tablet of thine heart.

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My son, keep my words,
And lay up my commandments with thee.
Keep my commandments and live;
And my law as the apple of thine eye.
Bind them upon thy fingers;
Write them upon the tablet of thy heart.

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Warning Against the Adulterous Woman

My son,(A) keep my words
    and store up my commands within you.
Keep my commands and you will live;(B)
    guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.(C)

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17 He that keepeth instruction is in the way of life, but he that refuseth reproof erreth.

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17 He [a]is in the way of life that heedeth [b]correction;
But he that forsaketh reproof [c]erreth.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:17 Or, is a way
  2. Proverbs 10:17 Or, instruction
  3. Proverbs 10:17 Or, causeth to err

17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,(A)
    but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

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16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul, but he that despiseth His ways shall die.

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16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his soul;
But he that [a]is careless of his ways shall die.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:16 Hebrew despiseth.

16 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
    but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.(A)

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