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The Call of Wisdom

20 (A)Wisdom shouts in the street,
She gives forth her voice in the square;
21 At the head of the noisy streets she calls out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
22 “How long, O (B)simple ones, will you love simplicity?
And (C)scoffers delight in scoffing
And [a]fools (D)hate knowledge?
23 Turn to my reproof,
Behold, I will (E)pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because (F)I called and you (G)refused,
I (H)stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
25 And you (I)neglected all my counsel
And were not (J)willing to accept my reproof;
26 I will also (K)laugh at your (L)disaster;
I will mock when your (M)dread comes,
27 When your dread comes like a storm
And your disaster comes like a (N)whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will (O)call on me, but I will not answer;
They will (P)seek me earnestly but they will not find me,
29 Because they (Q)hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of Yahweh.
30 They (R)were not willing to accept my counsel,
They spurned all my reproof.
31 So they shall (S)eat of the fruit of their way
And be (T)satisfied with their own devices.
32 For the (U)turning away of the simple will kill them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But (V)he who listens to me shall dwell securely
And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:22 One who fails in wisdom due to willful sin

Wisdom’s Plea

20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she makes her voice heard in the public squares.(A)
21 She cries out above[a] the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
22 “How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers(B) enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?(C)
23 If you respond to my warning,[b](D)
then I will pour out my spirit on you(E)
and teach you my words.
24 Since I called out and you refused,(F)
extended my hand and no one paid attention,(G)
25 since you neglected all my counsel(H)
and did not accept my correction,
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.(I)
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will search for me, but won’t find me.(J)
29 Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,(K)
30 were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,(L)
31 they will eat the fruit of their way(M)
and be glutted with their own schemes.(N)
32 For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them,(O)
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be undisturbed by the dread of danger.”(P)

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Footnotes

  1. 1:21 Lit at the head of
  2. 1:23 Lit you turn back to my reprimand

Warning Against Adultery

My son, (A)pay attention to my wisdom,
(B)Incline your ear to my discernment;
That you may (C)keep discretion
And that your (D)lips may guard knowledge.

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Avoid Seduction

My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
listen closely[a] to my understanding(A)
so that you may maintain discretion
and your lips safeguard knowledge.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 5:1 Lit wisdom; stretch out your ear

Warning Against Adultery

20 (A)My son, observe the commandment of your father
And do not abandon the [a]law of your mother;
21 (B)Bind them continually on your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you (C)walk about, [b]they will lead you;
When you sleep, [c]they will keep watch over you;
And when you awake, [d]they will speak to you.
23 For (D)the commandment is a lamp and the [e]law is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:20 Or instruction
  2. Proverbs 6:22 Lit she
  3. Proverbs 6:22 Lit she
  4. Proverbs 6:22 Lit she
  5. Proverbs 6:23 Or instruction

Warning against Adultery

20 My son, keep your father’s command,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching.(A)
21 Always bind them to your heart;
tie them around your neck.(B)
22 When you walk here and there, they will guide you;
when you lie down, they will watch over you;
when you wake up, they will talk to you.
23 For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light,(C)
and corrective discipline is the way to life.(D)

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The Adulteress’ Trap

My son, (A)keep my words
And treasure my commandments within you.
(B)Keep my commandments and live,
And my [a]law (C)as the [b]apple of your eye.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 7:2 Or instruction
  2. Proverbs 7:2 Lit pupil

My son, obey my words,
and treasure my commands.(A)
Keep my commands and live,(B)
and guard my instructions
as you would the pupil of your eye.(C)

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31 The (A)mouth of the righteous bears wisdom,
But the tongue of (B)perversions will be cut out.

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31 The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom,(A)
but a perverse tongue will be cut out.(B)

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14 Where there is no (A)guidance the people fall,
But in abundance of counselors there is salvation.

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14 Without guidance, a people will fall,
but with many counselors there is deliverance.(A)

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The thoughts of the righteous are just,
But the guidance of the wicked is deceitful.

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The thoughts of the righteous are just,
but guidance from the wicked is deceitful.

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26 The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked makes them wander about.

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26 A righteous person is careful in dealing with his neighbor,[a]
but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 12:26 Or person guides his neighbor

13 The one who (A)despises the word will be [a]in debt to it,
But the one who fears the commandment will be (B)rewarded.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:13 Lit pledged to it

13 The one who has contempt for instruction will pay the penalty,(A)
but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.(B)

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The lips of the wise disperse knowledge,
But the hearts of fools are not so.

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The lips of the wise broadcast knowledge,
but not so the heart of fools.

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22 Without consultation, [a]plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they [b]succeed.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:22 Lit thoughts
  2. Proverbs 15:22 Or are established

22 Plans fail when there is no counsel,
but with many advisers they succeed.(A)

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20 (A)Listen to counsel and receive discipline,
That you may be wise in [a]the end of your days.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:20 Lit your latter end

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction
so that you may be wise later in life.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 19:20 Lit in your end