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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Warning against Adultery

20 My son, keep your father’s command,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching.(A)

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Danger of adultery

20 My son, keep your father’s command;
    don’t abandon your mother’s instruction.

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13 A foolish son is his father’s ruin,(A)
and a wife’s nagging is an endless dripping.(B)

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13 A foolish son is a disaster to his father;
    a contentious wife is like constant dripping.

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14 A house and wealth are inherited from fathers,(A)
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

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14 House and riches are an inheritance from one’s ancestors,
    but an insightful wife is from the Lord.

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28 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker
that your ancestors set up.(A)

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28 Don’t remove an ancient boundary marker
    that your ancestors established.

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22 Listen to your father who gave you life,
and don’t despise your mother when[a] she is old.(A)
23 Buy—and do not sell—truth,
wisdom, instruction, and understanding.(B)
24 The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly,
and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.(C)
25 Let your father and mother have joy,(D)
and let her who gave birth to you rejoice.

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Footnotes

  1. 23:22 Or because

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life;
    don’t despise your elderly mother.
23 Buy truth and don’t sell it;
    buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous will be very happy;
    the one who gives life to the wise will rejoice.
25 Your father and your mother will rejoice;
    she who gave you birth will be happy.

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A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,(A)
but one who consorts with prostitutes destroys his wealth.(B)

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A man who loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
    but one who spends time with prostitutes destroys riches.

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