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My son, listen to your father’s instruction,
    and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching:
for they will be a garland to grace your head,
    and chains around your neck.

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The Enticement of Sinners

(A)Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
And (B)do not ignore your mother’s teaching;
For they are a (C)graceful wreath for your head
And (D)necklaces for your neck.

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My son, don’t forget my teaching;
    but let your heart keep my commandments:
for they will add to you length of days,
    years of life, and peace.

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The Rewards of Wisdom

My son, (A)do not forget my [a]teaching,
But have your heart (B)comply with my commandments;
For (C)length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:1 Or law

Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction.
    Pay attention and know understanding;
for I give you sound learning.
    Don’t forsake my law.
For I was a son to my father,
    tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
He taught me, and said to me:
    “Let your heart retain my words.
    Keep my commandments, and live.
Get wisdom.
    Get understanding.
    Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you.
    Love her, and she will keep you.
Wisdom is supreme.
    Get wisdom.
    Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you.
    She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
She will give to your head a garland of grace.
    She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”

10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings.
    The years of your life will be many.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom.
    I have led you in straight paths.
12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered.
    When you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction.
    Don’t let her go.
    Keep her, for she is your life.

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A Father’s Instruction

Listen, my sons, to the (A)instruction of a father,
And (B)pay attention so that you may [a]gain understanding,
For I give you good (C)teaching;
(D)Do not abandon my [b]instruction.
When I was a son to my father,
(E)Tender and (F)the only son in the sight of my mother,
He (G)taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart (H)take hold of my words;
(I)Keep my commandments and live;
(J)Acquire wisdom! (K)Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
Do not abandon her, and she will guard you;
(L)Love her, and she will watch over you.
(M)The [c]beginning of wisdom is: (N)Acquire wisdom;
And with all your possessions, acquire understanding.
(O)Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
She will place (P)on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

10 Listen, my son, and (Q)accept my sayings,
And the (R)years of your life will be many.
11 I have (S)instructed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.
12 When you walk, your (T)steps will not be hampered;
And if you run, you (U)will not stumble.
13 (V)Take hold of instruction; do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your (W)life.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:1 Lit know
  2. Proverbs 4:2 Or law
  3. Proverbs 4:7 Or primary thing is wisdom

20 My son, attend to my words.
    Turn your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes.
    Keep them in the center of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
    and health to their whole body.

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20 My son, (A)pay attention to my words;
(B)Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 (C)They are not to escape from your sight;
(D)Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are (E)life to those who find them,
And (F)healing to all [a]their body.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:22 Lit his

My son, pay attention to my wisdom.
    Turn your ear to my understanding,
that you may maintain discretion,
    that your lips may preserve knowledge.

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Pitfalls of Immorality

My son, (A)pay attention to my wisdom,
(B)Incline your ear to my understanding,
So that you may (C)maintain discretion
And your (D)lips may comply with knowledge.

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20 My son, keep your father’s commandment,
    and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them continually on your heart.
    Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, it will lead you.
    When you sleep, it will watch over you.
    When you awake, it will talk with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp,
    and the law is light.
    Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

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

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Footnotes

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

My son, keep my words.
    Lay up my commandments within you.
Keep my commandments and live!
    Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers.
    Write them on the tablet of your heart.

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The Lures of the Prostitute

My son, (A)keep my words
And treasure my commandments within you.
(B)Keep my commandments and live,
And my [a]teaching (C)as the [b]apple of your eye.
(D)Bind them on your fingers;
(E)Write them on the tablet of your heart.

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Footnotes

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

17 He is in the way of life who heeds correction,
    but he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.

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17 One who (A)is on the path of life follows instruction,
But one who ignores a rebuke goes astray.

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16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
    but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die.

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16 One who (A)keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But one who [a]is careless of [b]conduct will die.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:16 Lit despises
  2. Proverbs 19:16 Lit ways

22 Listen to your father who gave you life,
    and don’t despise your mother when she is old.

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

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Those who forsake the law praise the wicked;
    but those who keep the law contend with them.

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Those who abandon the Law (A)praise the wicked,
But those who keep the Law (B)strive against them.

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Whoever keeps the law is a wise son;
    but he who is a companion of gluttons shames his father.

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He who keeps the Law is a discerning son,
But he who is a companion of (A)gluttons humiliates his father.

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18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
    but one who keeps the law is blessed.

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18 Where there is (A)no [a]vision, the people (B)are unrestrained,
But (C)happy is one who keeps the Law.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:18 Or revelation