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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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Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

Listen, my son,(A) to your father’s(B) instruction
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(C)
They are a garland to grace your head
    and a chain to adorn your neck.(D)

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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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Wisdom Bestows Well-Being

My son,(A) do not forget my teaching,(B)
    but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years(C)
    and bring you peace and prosperity.(D)

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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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Get Wisdom at Any Cost

Listen, my sons,(A) to a father’s instruction;(B)
    pay attention and gain understanding.(C)
I give you sound learning,
    so do not forsake my teaching.
For I too was a son to my father,
    still tender, and cherished by my mother.
Then he taught me, and he said to me,
    “Take hold(D) of my words with all your heart;
    keep my commands, and you will live.(E)
Get wisdom,(F) get understanding;
    do not forget my words or turn away from them.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;(G)
    love her, and she will watch over you.(H)
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom.
    Though it cost all(I) you have,[b] get understanding.(J)
Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
    embrace her, and she will honor you.(K)
She will give you a garland to grace your head
    and present you with a glorious crown.(L)

10 Listen, my son,(M) accept what I say,
    and the years of your life will be many.(N)
11 I instruct(O) you in the way of wisdom
    and lead you along straight paths.(P)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
    when you run, you will not stumble.(Q)
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
    guard it well, for it is your life.(R)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:7 Or Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
  2. Proverbs 4:7 Or wisdom. / Whatever else you get

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 what I say;
    turn your ear to my words.(B)
21 Do not let them out of your sight,(C)
    keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
    and health to one’s whole body.(D)

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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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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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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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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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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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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.
Bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.(C)

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

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17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,(A)
    but whoever ignores correction leads others 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 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
    but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.(A)

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

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Saying 17

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,
    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 contend with them.

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Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
    but those who heed it resist 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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A discerning son heeds instruction,
    but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.(A)

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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 no revelation, people cast off restraint;
    but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.(A)

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