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Solomon’s Speeches About Wisdom

First Address to a Son:
Avoid the Company of Sinners

Listen, my son, to your father’s discipline,
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching,
because they are a garland of grace for your head.
They are jewelry for your neck.

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Lecture Against Gang Behavior

My child, may you keep[a] your father’s instruction,
    and do not reject your mother’s teachings,
for they are a garland of favor for your head,
    and pendants for your neck.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:8 Or “obey,” or “hear”

An Address to Sons:
Your Parents Teach You Wisdom

Listen, you sons, to a father’s discipline.
Pay attention so that you will gain discernment,
because I have given you good instruction.
Do not abandon my teaching.
When I was a son living with my father,
a tender and only child with my mother,
he used to instruct me and say to me,
“Cling to my words with all your heart.
Obey my commands so that you may live.

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The Father’s Wisdom

Children, listen to the instruction of a father,
    and be attentive in order to know insight.
For I have given you good instruction;
    do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a son to my father,
    tender and alone before my mother,
he taught me and said to me,
    “May your heart hold fast to my words;
    guard my commandments and live.

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The Collected Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon.

Introduction to Wisdom and Righteousness

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

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Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise child makes a father glad,
    but a foolish child grieves his mother.

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29 Whoever troubles his household will inherit the wind,
and a stubborn fool will be a slave to a person with a wise heart.

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29 He who brings trouble to his household, he will inherit wind,[a]
    and a fool will serve the wise of heart.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:29 Or “breath, spirit”

Advice for a Wise Son

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

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20 A child of wisdom will make a father glad,
    but a foolish person,[a] he despises his mother.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:20 Literally “foolishness of humankind”

A wise slave will rule over a shameful son.
He will share the inheritance with the brothers.

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A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully,
    and in the midst of brothers he will share his inheritance.

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Grandchildren are a crown for the elderly,
and parents are a source of pride for their children.

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The crown of the elderly are grandchildren,[a]
    and the glory of children is their fathers.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:6 Literally “sons of sons”

21 The man who fathers a fool has grief,
and the father of an arrogant fool will have no joy.

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21 He who begets a fool, there is trouble for him;
    the father of a fool will not rejoice.

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Avoiding Fools and Foolishness

25 A foolish son is an aggravation to his father
and bitterness to the woman who bore him.

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25 A grief to his father is the child of a fool,
    and bitterness to her who bore him.

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Dealing With Fools

13 A foolish son is a disaster to his father,
and a nagging wife is like constantly dripping water.

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13 A foolish child is a ruin to his father,
    and the quarreling of a woman[a] is a continuous dripping.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:13 Or “wife”

26 A son who attacks his father and chases away his mother
brings shame and disgrace.

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26 He who does violence to a father, he who chases away a mother,
    is a child who causes shame and brings reproach.

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20 The person who curses his father and his mother—
his lamp will be snuffed out in total darkness.

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20 He who curses his father and his mother,
    his lamp will be extinguished in the midst of darkness.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:20 Literally “in a pupil of darkness”