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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The Enticement of Sinners

(A)Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
    and forsake not 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

The Call of Wisdom

20 (A)Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
    in the markets she raises her voice;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
    at (B)the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O (C)simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will (D)scoffers delight in their scoffing
    and fools (E)hate knowledge?
23 If you turn at my reproof,[a]
behold, I will (F)pour out my spirit to you;
    I will make my words known to you.
24 (G)Because I have called and (H)you refused to listen,
    have (I)stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have (J)ignored all my counsel
    and (K)would have none of my reproof,
26 I also (L)will laugh at your calamity;
    I will mock when (M)terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like (N)a storm
    and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 (O)Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
    they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they (P)hated knowledge
    and (Q)did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 (R)would have none of my counsel
    and (S)despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat (T)the fruit of their way,
    and have (U)their fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by (V)their turning away,
    and (W)the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but (X)whoever listens to me will dwell secure
    and will be (Y)at ease, without dread of disaster.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:23 Or Will you turn away at my reproof?

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 (A)My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline
    or be weary of his reproof,
12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
    as (B)a father the son in whom he delights.

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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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A Father's Wise Instruction

(A)Hear, O sons, a father's instruction,
    and be attentive, that you may (B)gain[a] insight,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:1 Hebrew know

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

Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
(A)Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    (B)reprove a wise man, and he 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 Whoever heeds instruction is on (A)the path to life,
    but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.

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

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12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but he who (A)hates reproof is (B)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 hears his father's instruction,
    but (A)a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

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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 disgrace come to him who (A)ignores instruction,
    (B)but whoever (C)heeds reproof is honored.

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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)A fool (B)despises his father's instruction,
    but (C)whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

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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 (A)A scoffer (B)does not like to be reproved;
    he will not 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 Whoever (A)ignores instruction (B)despises himself,
    but he who listens to reproof (C)gains intelligence.

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