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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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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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

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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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;

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:1 Lit know
  2. Proverbs 4:2 Or law

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)

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Contrast of the Righteous and the Wicked

10 The (A)proverbs of Solomon.

(B)A wise son makes a father glad,
But (C)a foolish son is a grief to his mother.

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Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs(A) of Solomon:(B)

A wise son brings joy to his father,(C)
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

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22 A good person (A)leaves an inheritance to his [a]grandchildren,
And the (B)wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:22 Lit sons’ sons

22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
    but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.(A)

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20 A (A)wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man (B)despises his mother.

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20 A wise son brings joy to his father,(A)
    but a foolish man despises his mother.

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(A)Grandchildren are the crown of the old,
And the (B)glory of sons is their fathers.

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Children’s children(A) are a crown to the aged,
    and parents are the pride of their children.

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21 He who (A)fathers a fool does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.

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21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
    there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.(A)

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25 A (A)foolish son is a grief to his father,
And (B)bitterness to her who gave birth to him.

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25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
    and bitterness to the mother who bore him.(A)

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13 A (A)foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the (B)quarrels of a wife are a constant dripping.

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13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin,(A)
    and a quarrelsome wife is like
    the constant dripping of a leaky roof.(B)

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18 (A)Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire [a]his death.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:18 Lit causing him to die

18 Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
    do not be a willing party to their death.(A)

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26 He (A)who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.

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26 Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother(A)
    is a child who brings shame and disgrace.

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A righteous person who (A)walks in his integrity—
(B)How blessed are his sons after him.

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The righteous lead blameless lives;(A)
    blessed are their children after them.(B)

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