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My son, listen to your father’s instruction,
    and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching:

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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;

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20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street.
    She utters her voice in the public squares.
21 She calls at the head of noisy places.
    At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
    How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery,
    and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn at my reproof.
    Behold,[a] I will pour out my spirit on you.
    I will make known my words to you.
24 Because I have called, and you have refused;
    I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
25 but you have ignored all my counsel,
    and wanted none of my reproof;
26 I also will laugh at your disaster.
    I will mock when calamity overtakes you,
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come on you.
28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer.
    They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,
29 because they hated knowledge,
    and didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.
30 They wanted none of my counsel.
    They despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,
    and be filled with their own schemes.
32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them.
    The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely,
    and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1:23 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

Wisdom Warns

20 (A)Wisdom shouts in the street,
She [a]raises her voice in the public square;
21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she declares her sayings:
22 “How long, you (B)naive ones, will you love simplistic thinking?
And how long will (C)scoffers delight themselves in scoffing
And fools (D)hate knowledge?
23 Turn to my rebuke,
Behold, I will (E)pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because (F)I called and you (G)refused,
I (H)stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
25 And you (I)neglected all my advice
And did not (J)want my rebuke;
26 I will also (K)laugh at your (L)disaster;
I will mock when your (M)dread comes,
27 When your dread comes like a storm
And your disaster comes like a (N)whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will (O)call on me, but I will not answer;
They will (P)seek me diligently but will not find me,
29 Because they (Q)hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord.
30 They (R)did not accept my advice,
They disdainfully rejected every rebuke from me.
31 So they shall (S)eat of the fruit of their own way,
And be (T)filled with their own schemes.
32 For the (U)faithlessness of the naive will kill them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But (V)whoever listens to me will live securely
And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:20 Lit gives

11 My son, don’t despise Yahweh’s discipline,
    neither be weary of his correction;
12 for whom Yahweh loves, he corrects,
    even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

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11 (A)My son, do not reject the [a]discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His rebuke,
12 For (B)whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
Just (C)as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:11 Or instruction

Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction.
    Pay attention and know understanding;

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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,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:1 Lit know

One who corrects a mocker invites insult.
    One who reproves a wicked man invites abuse.
Don’t reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you.
    Reprove a wise person, and he will love you.

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One who (A)corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,
And one who rebukes a wicked person gets [a]insults for himself.
(B)Do not rebuke a scoffer, or he will hate you;
(C)Rebuke a wise person and he will love you.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:7 Lit a blemish

17 He is in the way of life who heeds correction,
    but he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.

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17 One who (A)is on the path of life follows instruction,
But one who ignores a rebuke goes astray.

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12 Whoever loves correction loves knowledge,
    but he who hates reproof is stupid.

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Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

12 One who loves [a]discipline loves knowledge,
But one who hates rebuke is stupid.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:1 Or instruction

13 A wise son listens to his father’s instruction,
    but a scoffer doesn’t listen to rebuke.

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Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

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

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18 Poverty and shame come to him who refuses discipline,
    but he who heeds correction shall be honored.

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18 Poverty and shame will come to one who (A)neglects [a]discipline,
But one who complies with rebuke will be honored.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:18 Or instruction

A fool despises his father’s correction,
    but he who heeds reproof shows prudence.

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A fool [a]rejects his father’s discipline,
But he who complies with rebuke is sensible.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:5 Or despises

12 A scoffer doesn’t love to be reproved;
    he will not go to the wise.

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12 A (A)scoffer does not love one who rebukes him;
He will not go to the wise.

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32 He who refuses correction despises his own soul,
    but he who listens to reproof gets understanding.

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32 One who (A)neglects discipline (B)rejects himself,
But one who (C)listens to a rebuke acquires [a]understanding.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:32 Lit heart