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Warnings against Evil Companions

Hear, my child, your father’s instruction,
    and do not reject your mother’s teaching,(A)
for they are a fair garland for your head
    and pendants for your neck.(B)

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Admonition to Trust and Honor God

My child, do not forget my teaching,
    but let your heart keep my commandments,(A)
for length of days and years of life
    and abundant welfare they will give you.(B)

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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)
Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
    she will honor you if you embrace her.(G)
She will place on your head a fair garland;
    she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”(H)

Admonition to Keep to the Right Path

10 Hear, my child, and accept my words,
    that the years of your life may be many.
11 I have taught you the way of wisdom;
    I have led you in the paths of uprightness.(I)
12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered,
    and if you run, you will not stumble.(J)
13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
    guard her, for she is your life.

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Footnotes

  1. 4.1 Heb know

20 My child, be attentive to my words;
    incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them escape from your sight;
    keep them within your heart.(A)
22 For they are life to those who find them
    and healing to all their flesh.(B)

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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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20 My child, keep your father’s commandment,
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(A)
21 Bind them upon your heart always;
    tie them around your neck.(B)
22 When you walk, they[a] will lead you;
    when you lie down, they[b] will watch over you;
    and when you awake, they[c] will talk with you.(C)
23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,
    and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 6.22 Heb it
  2. 6.22 Heb it
  3. 6.22 Heb it

The False Attractions of Adultery

My child, keep my words
    and store up my commandments with you;(A)
keep my commandments and live;
    keep my teachings as the apple[a] of your eye;(B)
bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 7.2 Heb little man

17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,
    but one who rejects a rebuke goes astray.

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16 Those who keep the commandment will live;
    those who are heedless of their ways will die.(A)

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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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Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
    but those who keep the law struggle against them.(A)

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

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18 Where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint,
    but happy are those who keep the law.(A)

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