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The Prologue: Embrace Wisdom

My son, hear the instruction of your father,
    and do not forsake the teaching of your mother;

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Shun Evil Counsel

(A)My son, hear the instruction of your father,
And do not forsake the law of your mother;

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The Call of Wisdom

20 Wisdom cries out in the street;
    she utters her voice in the markets.
21 She cries at the corner of the streets, in the openings of the gates;
    she speaks her words in the city, saying:

22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
    For the scorners delight in their scorning,
    and fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my reproof;
    surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
    I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused,
    I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded,
25 because you neglected all my counsel,
    and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
    I will mock when your fear comes,
27 when your fear comes as desolation
    and your destruction comes as a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come upon you.

28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
    they will seek me early, but they will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
    and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 they would have none of my counsel
    and despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,
    and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them,
    and the prosperity of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,
    and will be secure from fear of evil.”

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The Call of Wisdom

20 (A)Wisdom calls aloud [a]outside;
She raises her voice in the open squares.
21 She cries out in the [b]chief concourses,
At the openings of the gates in the city
She speaks her words:
22 “How long, you [c]simple ones, will you love [d]simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my rebuke;
Surely (B)I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 (C)Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25 Because you (D)disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
26 (E)I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
27 When (F)your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.

28 “Then(G) they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29 Because they (H)hated knowledge
And did not (I)choose the fear of the Lord,
30 (J)They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
31 Therefore (K)they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
32 For the [e]turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell (L)safely,
And (M)will be [f]secure, without fear of evil.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:20 in the street
  2. Proverbs 1:21 LXX, Syr., Tg. top of the walls; Vg. the head of multitudes
  3. Proverbs 1:22 naive
  4. Proverbs 1:22 naivete
  5. Proverbs 1:32 waywardness
  6. Proverbs 1:33 at ease

11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
    nor be weary of His correction;
12 for whom the Lord loves He corrects,
    even as a father the son in whom he delights.

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11 (A)My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction;
12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
(B)Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

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Wisdom Is Supreme

Hear, O children, the instruction of a father,
    and attend to know understanding.

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Security in Wisdom

Hear, (A)my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;

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He who reproves a scorner gets shame for himself,
    and he who rebukes a wicked man gets hurt.
Do not reprove a scorner, lest he hate you;
    rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

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“He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,
And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
(A)Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
(B)Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

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17 He who keeps instruction is in the way of life,
    but he who refuses reproof errs.

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17 He who keeps instruction is in the way of life,
But he who refuses correction [a]goes astray.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:17 leads

12 Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,
    but he who hates reproof is brutish.

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The House of the Righteous Shall Stand

12 Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,
But he who hates correction is stupid.

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13 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
    but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

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Wisdom Loves Righteousness

13 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
(A)But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

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18 Poverty and shame will be to him who refuses instruction,
    but he who regards reproof will be honored.

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18 Poverty and shame will come to him who [a]disdains correction,
But (A)he who regards a rebuke will be honored.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:18 Lit. ignores

A fool despises his father’s instruction,
    but he who regards reproof is prudent.

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(A)A fool despises his father’s instruction,
(B)But he who [a]receives correction is prudent.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:5 Lit. keeps

12 A scorner does not love one who reproves him,
    nor will he go to the wise.

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12 (A)A scoffer does not love one who corrects him,
Nor will he go to the wise.

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32 He who refuses instruction despises his own soul,
    but he who hears reproof gains understanding.

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32 He who disdains instruction despises his own soul,
But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding.

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