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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 Rebuke

20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(A)
    she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[a] she cries out,
    at the city gate she makes her speech:

22 “How long will you who are simple(B) love your simple ways?
    How long will mockers delight in mockery
    and fools hate(C) knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
    Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
    I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse(D) to listen when I call(E)
    and no one pays attention(F) when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
    and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh(G) when disaster(H) strikes you;
    I will mock(I) when calamity overtakes you(J)
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when disaster(K) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
    when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(L)
    they will look for me but will not find me,(M)
29 since they hated knowledge
    and did not choose to fear the Lord.(N)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
    and spurned my rebuke,(O)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
    and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(P)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(Q)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(R)
    and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(S)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners

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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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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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,(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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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

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.

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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 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,(A)
    but a perverse tongue(B) will be silenced.

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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 For lack of guidance a nation falls,(A)
    but victory is won through many advisers.(B)

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

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The plans of the righteous are just,
    but the advice of 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 The righteous choose their friends carefully,
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.(A)

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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 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,(A)
    but whoever respects(B) a command is rewarded.(C)

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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 spread knowledge,(A)
    but the hearts of fools are not upright.

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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 for lack of counsel,(A)
    but with many advisers(B) they succeed.(C)

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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 advice and accept discipline,(A)
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.(B)

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