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Warnings Against Evil

My ·child [L son], listen to your father’s ·teaching [instruction; discipline]
    and do not ·forget [neglect] your mother’s ·advice [instruction].
[L For] ·Their teaching [L It] will be like ·flowers in your hair [L a gracious garland on your head]
    or ·a necklace [L beads] 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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Wisdom Is Important

My ·children [L sons], listen to your father’s ·teaching [discipline; instruction];
    pay attention ·so you will understand [L to the knowledge of understanding].
·What I am telling you is good [L I will give you good teaching],
    so do not ·forget [L abandon; forsake] ·what I teach you [L my instruction].
When I was a ·young boy in my father’s house [L son to my father]
    ·and like an only child to [L tender, and the only one of] my mother,
my father taught me and said,
    “Hold on to my words with all your heart.
    ·Keep [Guard] my commands and you will live.

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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

The Wise Words of Solomon

10 These are the ·wise words [proverbs] of Solomon:

Wise ·children [sons] make their father happy,
but foolish ·children [sons] make their mother sad.

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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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20 Wise ·children [sons] make their father happy,
but foolish ·children [L people] disrespect their mother.

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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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21 It is sad to have a foolish child;
there is no joy in being the parent of a fool.

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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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25 Foolish children make their father sad
and cause their mother great ·sorrow [bitterness].

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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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26 A child who ·robs [devastates] his father and ·sends [drives] away his mother
brings shame and disgrace on himself.

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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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20 Those who curse their father or mother
will be like a light going out in darkness [Job 18:6; 21:17].

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20 He who (A)curses his father or his mother,
His (B)lamp will go out in time of darkness.

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11 “Some people curse their fathers
    and do not bless their mothers [Ex. 20:12; 21:17].
12 Some people think they are pure,
    but they ·are not really free from evil [L have not cleaned off their own excrement; Deut. 23:12–14].

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11 There is a [a]kind of person who (A)curses his father
And does not bless his mother.
12 There is a [b]kind who is (B)pure in his own eyes,
Yet is not washed from his filthiness.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 30:11 Or generation
  2. Proverbs 30:12 Or generation

17 “·If you make fun of your [L An eye that ridicules one’s] father
    and ·refuse to obey your [L despises the teaching of one’s] mother,
the ·birds [L ravens] of the ·valley [wadi] will peck out your eyes,
    and the ·vultures [or young eagles] will eat them.

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17 The eye that (A)mocks a father
And [a](B)scorns a mother,
The (C)ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young (D)eagles will eat it.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 30:17 Lit despises to obey