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17 (A)Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And set your heart on my knowledge;
18 For it will be (B)pleasant if you keep them within you,
[a]That they may be established on your lips.
19 So that your (C)trust may be in Yahweh,
I have made you know today, even you.
20 Have I not written to you [b](D)excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21 To make you (E)know the veracity of the words of truth
That you may [c](F)respond with the words of truth to him who sent you?

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:18 Lit They together
  2. Proverbs 22:20 Lit thirty sayings
  3. Proverbs 22:21 Lit return

Words of the Wise

17 Listen closely,[a] pay attention to the words of the wise,(A)
and apply your mind to my knowledge.
18 For it is pleasing if you keep them within you
and if[b] they are constantly on your lips.
19 I have instructed you today—even you—
so that your confidence may be in the Lord.
20 Haven’t I written for you thirty sayings[c]
about counsel and knowledge,
21 in order to teach you true and reliable words,
so that you may give a dependable report[d](B)
to those who sent you?(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:17 Lit Stretch out your ear
  2. Proverbs 22:18 Or you; let them be, or you, so that
  3. Proverbs 22:20 Text emended; one Hb tradition reads you previously; alt Hb tradition reads you excellent things; LXX, Syr, Vg read you three times
  4. Proverbs 22:21 Lit give dependable words

Thirty Sayings of the Wise

Saying 1

17 Pay attention(A) and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;(B)
    apply your heart to what I teach,(C)
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
    and have all of them ready on your lips.
19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,
    I teach you today, even you.
20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
    sayings of counsel and knowledge,
21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,(D)
    so that you bring back truthful reports
    to those you serve?

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