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to teach shrewdness to the simple,
    knowledge and prudence to the young—(A)

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that prudence may be given to the simple,
    knowledge and discretion to the youth—

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The True Security

21 My child, do not let these escape from your sight:
    keep sound wisdom and prudence,
22 and they will be life for your soul
    and adornment for your neck.(A)
23 Then you will walk on your way securely,
    and your foot will not stumble.(B)
24 If you sit down,[a] you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Then you will not be afraid of sudden panic
    or of the storm that strikes the wicked,(C)
26 for the Lord will be your confidence
    and will keep your foot from being caught.

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Footnotes

  1. 3.24 Gk: Heb lie down

The True Security

21 My son, keep sound wisdom and discretion;
    let them not escape from your sight,[a]
22 and they will be life for your soul
    and adornment for your neck.
23 Then you will walk on your way securely
    and your foot will not stumble.
24 If you sit down,[b] you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden panic,
    or of the ruin[c] of the wicked, when it comes;
26 for the Lord will be your confidence
    and will keep your foot from being caught.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:21 Reversing the order of the clauses
  2. Proverbs 3:24 Gk: Heb lie down
  3. Proverbs 3:25 Heb storm

Parental Advice

Listen, children, to a father’s instruction,
    and be attentive, that you may gain[a] insight,(A)
for I give you good precepts:
    do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a son with my father,
    tender and my mother’s favorite,(B)
he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
    keep my commandments and live.(C)
Get wisdom; get insight: do not forget nor turn away
    from the words of my mouth.(D)
Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
    love her, and she will guard you.(E)
The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom,
    and whatever else you get, get insight.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 4.1 Heb know

Fatherly Advice

Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain[a] insight;
for I give you good precepts:
    do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a son with my father,
    tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
he taught me, and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
    keep my commandments, and live;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
    Get wisdom; get insight.[b]
Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
    love her, and she will guard you.
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
    and whatever you get, get insight.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:1 Heb know
  2. Proverbs 4:5 Reversing the order of the lines

Warning against Impurity and Infidelity

My child, be attentive to my wisdom;
    incline your ear to my understanding,(A)
so that you may hold on to prudence,
    and your lips may guard knowledge.

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Warning against Impurity and Infidelity

My son, be attentive to my wisdom,
incline your ear to my understanding;
that you may keep discretion,
    and your lips may guard knowledge.

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Wisdom’s Feast

Wisdom has built her house;
    she has hewn her seven pillars.(A)
She has slaughtered her animals; she has mixed her wine;
    she has also set her table.(B)
She has sent out her female servants; she calls
    from the highest places in the town,(C)
“You who are simple, turn in here!”
    To those without sense she says,(D)
“Come, eat of my bread
    and drink of the wine I have mixed.(E)
Lay aside immaturity and live,
    and walk in the way of insight.”(F)

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Wisdom’s Feast

Wisdom has built her house,
she has set up[a] her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine,
    she has also set her table.
She has sent out her maids to call
    from the highest places in the town,
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    To him who is without sense she says,
“Come, eat of my bread
    and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Leave simpleness,[b] and live,
    and walk in the way of insight.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:1 Gk Syr Tg: Heb hewn
  2. Proverbs 9:6 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb simple ones

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.(A)

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10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

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It is the wisdom of the clever to understand where they go,
    but the folly of fools misleads.(A)

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The wisdom of a prudent man is to discern his way,
    but the folly of fools is deceiving.

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15 The simple believe everything,
    but the clever consider their steps.

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15 The simple believes everything,
    but the prudent looks where he is going.

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The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
    but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.(A)

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The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
    but every one who is hasty comes only to want.

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The clever see danger and hide,
    but the simple go on and suffer for it.

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A prudent man sees danger and hides himself;
    but the simple go on, and suffer for it.

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23 Buy truth, and do not sell it;
    buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.(A)

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23 Buy truth, and do not sell it;
    buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

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12 The clever see danger and hide,
    but the simple go on and suffer for it.(A)

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12 A prudent man sees danger and hides himself;
    but the simple go on, and suffer for it.

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