Avoid the Path of the Violent

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,(A)

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Avoid evil associations

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction;
    don’t neglect your mother’s teaching;

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Wisdom’s Plea

20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she makes her voice heard in the public squares.(A)
21 She cries out above[a] the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
22 “How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers(B) enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?(C)
23 If you respond to my warning,[b](D)
then I will pour out my spirit on you(E)
and teach you my words.
24 Since I called out and you refused,(F)
extended my hand and no one paid attention,(G)
25 since you neglected all my counsel(H)
and did not accept my correction,
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.(I)
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will search for me, but won’t find me.(J)
29 Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,(K)
30 were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,(L)
31 they will eat the fruit of their way(M)
and be glutted with their own schemes.(N)
32 For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them,(O)
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be undisturbed by the dread of danger.”(P)

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Footnotes

  1. 1:21 Lit at the head of
  2. 1:23 Lit you turn back to my reprimand

Listen to “Woman Wisdom”

20 Wisdom shouts in the street;
    in the public square she raises her voice.
21 Above the noisy crowd, she calls out.
    At the entrances of the city gates, she has her say:
22 “How long will you clueless people love your naïveté,
    mockers hold their mocking dear,
    and fools hate knowledge?
23 You should respond when I correct you.
    Look, I’ll pour out my spirit on you.
    I’ll reveal my words to you.
24 I invited you, but you rejected me;
    I stretched out my hand to you,
    but you paid no attention.
25 You ignored all my advice,
    and you didn’t want me to correct you.
26 So I’ll laugh at your disaster;
    I’ll make fun of you when dread comes over you,
27         when terror hits you like a hurricane,
        and your disaster comes in like a tornado,
        when distress and oppression overcome you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
    they will seek me, but won’t find me
29         because they hated knowledge
        and didn’t choose the fear of the Lord.
30 They didn’t want my advice;
    they rejected all my corrections.
31 They will eat from the fruit of their way,
    and they’ll be full of their own schemes.
32 The immature will die because they turn away;
    smugness will destroy fools.
33 Those who obey me will dwell securely,
    untroubled by the dread of harm.”

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11 Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son,
and do not loathe his discipline;(A)
12 for the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.(B)

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11 Don’t reject the instruction of the Lord, my son;
    don’t despise his correction.
12 The Lord loves those he corrects,
    just like a father who treats his son with favor.

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A Father’s Example

Listen, sons, to a father’s discipline,(A)
and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,

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Love wisdom

Hear, children, fatherly instruction;
    pay attention to gain understanding.

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The one who corrects a mocker
will bring abuse on himself;
the one who rebukes the wicked will get hurt.[a]
Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;(A)
rebuke the wise, and he will love you.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 9:7 Lit man: his blemish

Wise advice

Whoever instructs the cynic gets insulted;
    whoever corrects the wicked gets hurt.
Don’t correct the impudent, or they will hate you;
    correct the wise, and they will love you.

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17 The one who follows instruction is on the path to life,
but the one who rejects correction goes astray.(A)

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17 Those who heed instruction are on the way to life,
    but those who ignore correction lose their way.

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12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but one who hates correction is stupid.(A)

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12 Those who love discipline love knowledge,
    and those who hate correction are stupid.

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13 A wise son responds to his father’s discipline,
but a mocker doesn’t listen to rebuke.

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13 A wise son listens to[a] the discipline of his father,
    but a mocker doesn’t listen to correction.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:1 Heb lacks listens to.

18 Poverty and disgrace come to those
who ignore discipline,
but the one who accepts correction will be honored.(A)

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18 Poverty and shame come to those who don’t care about instruction;
    honor belongs to those who heed correction.

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A fool despises his father’s discipline,
but a person who accepts correction is sensible.(A)

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A fool doesn’t like a father’s instruction,
    but those who heed correction are mature.

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12 A mocker doesn’t love one who corrects him;(A)
he will not consult the wise.

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12 Mockers don’t like those who correct them.
    They won’t go to the wise.

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32 Anyone who ignores discipline despises himself,(A)
but whoever listens to correction acquires good sense.[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. 15:32 Lit acquires a heart

32 Those who refuse discipline despise themselves,
    but those who listen to correction gain understanding.

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