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Think and Live Wisely

A Warning Against Sinful Men

My son, listen to your father’s advice.
    Don’t turn away from your mother’s teaching.
What they teach you will be like a beautiful crown on your head.
    It will be like a chain to decorate your neck.

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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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More Good Things Come From Wisdom

My son, do not forget my teaching.
    Keep my commands in your heart.
They will help you live for many years.
    They will bring you peace and success.

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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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Get Wisdom at Any Cost

My sons, listen to a father’s teaching.
    Pay attention and gain understanding.
I give you good advice.
    So don’t turn away from what I teach you.
I, too, was once a young boy in my father’s house.
    And my mother loved me deeply.
Then my father taught me.
    He said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart.
    Keep my commands, and you will live.
Get wisdom, and get understanding.
    Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
Stay close to wisdom, and she will keep you safe.
    Love her, and she will watch over you.
To start being wise you must first get wisdom.
    No matter what it costs, get understanding.
Value wisdom highly, and she will lift you up.
    Hold her close, and she will honor you.
She will set a beautiful crown on your head.
    She will give you a glorious crown.”

10 My son, listen. Accept what I say.
    Then you will live for many years.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom.
    I lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, nothing will slow you down.
    When you run, you won’t trip and fall.
13 Hold on to my teaching and don’t let it go.
    Guard it well, because it is your life.

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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, pay attention to what I say.
    Listen closely to my words.
21 Don’t let them out of your sight.
    Keep them in your heart.
22 They are life to those who find them.
    They are health to a person’s whole body.

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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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A Warning Against Committing Adultery

My son, pay attention to my wisdom.
    Listen carefully to my wise sayings.
Then you will continue to have good sense.
    Your lips will keep on speaking words of 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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A Warning Against Committing Adultery

20 My son, keep your father’s command.
    Don’t turn away from your mother’s teaching.
21 Always tie them on your heart.
    Put them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you.
    When you sleep, they will watch over you.
    When you wake up, they will speak to you.
23 Your father’s command is like a lamp.
    Your mother’s teaching is like a light.
And whatever instructs and corrects you
    leads to life.

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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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A Warning Against a Woman Who Commits Adultery

My son, obey my words.
    Store up my commands inside you.
Obey my commands and you will live.
    Guard my teachings as you would guard your own eyes.
Tie them on your fingers.
    Write them on the tablet of your 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 Anyone who pays attention to correction
    shows the path to life.
But anyone who refuses to be corrected
    leads others down the wrong path.

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

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16 Those who keep commandments keep their lives.
    But those who don’t care how they live will die.

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

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Saying 17

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life.
    Don’t hate your mother when she is old.

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Saying 17

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,
    and do not despise your mother when she is old.(A)

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Those who turn away from instruction praise sinners.
    But those who learn from it oppose them.

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Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
    but those who heed it resist them.

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A child who understands what is right learns from instruction.
    But a child who likes to eat too much brings shame on his father.

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A discerning son heeds instruction,
    but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.(A)

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18 Where there is no message from God, people don’t control themselves.
    But blessed is the one who obeys wisdom’s instruction.

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18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
    but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.(A)

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