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11 Come, O children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.(A)

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11 Come, my children, listen(A) to me;
    I will teach you(B) the fear of the Lord.(C)

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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
    fools despise wisdom and instruction.(A)

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The fear of the Lord(A) is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools[a] despise wisdom(B) and instruction.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
    all those who practice it[a] have a good understanding.
    His praise endures forever.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 111.10 Gk Syr: Heb them

10 The fear of the Lord(A) is the beginning of wisdom;(B)
    all who follow his precepts have good understanding.(C)
    To him belongs eternal praise.(D)

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The Value of Wisdom

My child, if you accept my words
    and treasure up my commandments within you,(A)
making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding,
if you indeed cry out for insight
    and raise your voice for understanding,
if you seek it like silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasures—(B)
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.(C)
For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;(D)
he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,(E)
guarding the paths of justice
    and preserving the way of his faithful ones.(F)
Then you will understand righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path,(G)

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Moral Benefits of Wisdom

My son,(A) if you accept my words
    and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
    and applying your heart to understanding(B)
indeed, if you call out for insight(C)
    and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,(D)
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.(E)
For the Lord gives wisdom;(F)
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.(G)
He holds success in store for the upright,
    he is a shield(H) to those whose walk is blameless,(I)
for he guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of his faithful ones.(J)

Then you will understand(K) what is right and just
    and fair—every good path.

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I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.(A)

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I will instruct(A) you and teach you(B) in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on(C) you.

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“Whom will he teach knowledge,
    and to whom will he explain the message?
Those who are weaned from milk,
    those taken from the breast?(A)

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“Who is it he is trying to teach?(A)
    To whom is he explaining his message?(B)
To children weaned(C) from their milk,(D)
    to those just taken from the breast?

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17 I love those who love me,
    and those who seek me diligently find me.(A)

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17 I love those who love me,(A)
    and those who seek me find me.(B)

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He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.(A) Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

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He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,(A) you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.(B) Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.(C)

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24 And now, my children, listen to me,
    and be attentive to the words of my mouth.(A)

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24 Now then, my sons, listen(A) to me;
    pay attention to what I say.

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Parental Advice

Listen, children, to a father’s instruction,
    and be attentive, that you may gain[a] insight,(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 4.1 Heb know

Get Wisdom at Any Cost

Listen, my sons,(A) to a father’s instruction;(B)
    pay attention and gain understanding.(C)

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16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
    and I will tell what he has done for me.(A)

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16 Come and hear,(A) all you who fear God;
    let me tell(B) you what he has done for me.

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Train children in the right way,
    and when old, they will not stray.(A)

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Start(A) children off on the way they should go,(B)
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it.(C)

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15 and how from childhood you have known sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

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15 and how from infancy(A) you have known the Holy Scriptures,(B) which are able to make you wise(C) for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

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