The Enticement of Sinners

(A)Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
    and forsake not your mother's teaching,
for they are (B)a graceful garland for your head
    and (C)pendants for your neck.

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Avoid evil associations

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction;
    don’t neglect your mother’s teaching;
        for they are a graceful wreath on your head,
        and beads for 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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A Father's Wise Instruction

(A)Hear, O sons, a father's instruction,
    and be attentive, that you may (B)gain[a] insight,
for I give you good (C)precepts;
    do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a son with my father,
    (D)tender, (E)the only one in the sight of my mother,
he (F)taught me and said to me,
(G)“Let your heart hold fast my words;
    (H)keep my commandments, and live.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:1 Hebrew know

Love wisdom

Hear, children, fatherly instruction;
    pay attention to gain understanding.
I’ll teach you well.
    Don’t abandon my instruction.
When I was a son to my father,
    tender and my mother’s favorite,
    he taught me and said to me:
“Let your heart hold on to my words:
    Keep my commands and live.

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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)

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The Proverbs of Solomon

10 (A)The proverbs of Solomon.

(B)A wise son makes a glad father,
    (C)but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

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Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise child makes a father glad,
    but a foolish child brings sorrow to his mother.

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Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs(A) of Solomon:(B)

A wise son brings joy to his father,(C)
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

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29 Whoever (A)troubles his own household will (B)inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

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29 Those who trouble their family will inherit the wind.
    The fool will be servant to the wise.

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29 Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise.(A)

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

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20 A wise child brings joy to a father,
    but fools despise their mothers.

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20 A wise son brings joy to his father,(A)
    but a foolish man despises his mother.

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A servant who deals wisely will rule over (A)a son who acts shamefully
    and (B)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

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An insightful servant rules over a disgraceful son
    and will divide an inheritance
    with the brothers.

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A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
    and will share the inheritance as one of the family.

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(A)Grandchildren are (B)the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.

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Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,
    and the glory of children is their parents.

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Children’s children(A) are a crown to the aged,
    and parents are the pride of their children.

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21 He who (A)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.

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21 Having a fool for a son brings grief;
    there’s no joy for a scoundrel’s father.

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21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
    there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.(A)

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25 (A)A foolish son is a grief to his father
    (B)and bitterness to (C)her who bore him.

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25 A foolish son is irritating to his father
    and bitter to her who gave birth to him.

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25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
    and bitterness to the mother who bore him.(A)

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