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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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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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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.

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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)

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Footnotes

  1. 4.1 Heb know

10 The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a glad father;
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

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Wise Sayings of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise child makes a glad father,
    but a foolish child is a mother’s grief.(A)

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29 He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind.
    The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

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29 Those who trouble their households will inherit wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise.

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20 A wise son makes a father glad,
    but a foolish man despises his mother.

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20 A wise child makes a glad father,
    but the foolish despise their mothers.(A)

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A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame,
    and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.

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A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully
    and will share the inheritance as one of the family.(A)

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Children’s children are the crown of old men;
    the glory of children are their parents.

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Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their parents.(A)

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21 He who becomes the father of a fool grieves.
    The father of a fool has no joy.

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21 The one who fathers a fool gets trouble;
    the parent of a fool has no joy.(A)

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25 A foolish son brings grief to his father,
    and bitterness to her who bore him.

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25 Foolish children are a grief to their father
    and bitterness to her who bore them.(A)

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13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father.
    A wife’s quarrels are a continual dripping.

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13 A stupid child is ruin to a father,
    and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.(A)

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26 He who robs his father and drives away his mother
    is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

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26 Those who do violence to their father and chase away their mother
    are children who cause shame and bring reproach.

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20 Whoever curses his father or his mother,
    his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.

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20 If you curse father or mother,
    your lamp will go out in utter darkness.(A)

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