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13 A stupid child is ruin to a father,
    and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.(A)
14 House and wealth are inherited from parents,
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.(B)

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Dealing With Fools

13 A foolish son is a disaster to his father,
and a nagging wife is like constantly dripping water.
14 Home and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,
but a wife with good sense is from the Lord.

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26 Those who do violence to their father and chase away their mother
    are children who cause shame and bring reproach.
27 My child, stop ignoring instruction,
    straying[a] from words of knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. 19.27 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

26 A son who attacks his father and chases away his mother
brings shame and disgrace.
27 If you stop listening to discipline, my son,
you will stray from the sayings that give knowledge.

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20 If you curse father or mother,
    your lamp will go out in utter darkness.(A)

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20 The person who curses his father and his mother—
his lamp will be snuffed out in total darkness.

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15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but the rod of discipline drives it far away.(A)

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15 Foolishness is bound tightly to a child’s heart.
A rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

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28 Do not remove the ancient landmark
    that your ancestors set up.(A)

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28 Do not move an ancient boundary marker
    that your ancestors made.

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

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

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24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
    he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.(A)
25 Let your father and mother be glad;
    let her who bore you rejoice.

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24 The father of a righteous child will celebrate greatly.
One who fathers a wise son will find joy in him.
25 Your father and your mother will find joy,
and she who gave birth to you will celebrate.

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Like a bird that strays from its nest
    is one who strays from home.

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A person who wanders from his place
    is like a bird that wanders from its nest.

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10 Do not forsake your friend or the friend of your parent;
    do not go to the house of your kindred in the day of your calamity.
Better is a neighbor who is nearby
    than kindred who are far away.(A)

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10 Do not abandon your friend or your father’s friend,
and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you.
A neighbor who is near is better than a brother who is far away.

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Those who keep the law are wise children,
    but companions of gluttons shame their parents.(A)

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The son who keeps the law has understanding,
but a companion of gluttons brings shame upon his father.

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24 Anyone who robs father or mother
    and says, “That is no crime,”
    is partner to a thug.(A)

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24 A person who robs his father and his mother
and says, “It’s not a sin,” is no better than[a] a vandal.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:24 Or a partner to

A child who loves wisdom makes a parent glad,
    but a companion of prostitutes destroys wealth.(A)

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A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but one who visits prostitutes destroys his wealth.

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17 The eye that mocks a father
    and scorns to obey a mother
will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley
    and eaten by the vultures.(A)

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17 An eye that mocks its father
and despises the obedience due its mother—
ravens of the valley will peck it out,
and young vultures will eat it.

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