Let the wise hear and (A)increase in learning,
    and the one who understands obtain guidance,
to understand a proverb and a saying,
    (B)the words of the wise and their (C)riddles.

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

The Enticement of Sinners

(E)Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
    and forsake not your mother's teaching,
for they are (F)a graceful garland for your head
    and (G)pendants for your neck.

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The wise hear them and grow in wisdom;
    those with understanding gain guidance.
They help one understand proverbs and difficult sayings,
    the words of the wise, and their puzzles.
Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord,
    but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Avoid evil associations

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction;
    don’t neglect your mother’s teaching;
        for they are a graceful wreath on your head,
        and beads for your neck.

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23 If you turn at my reproof,[a]
behold, I will (A)pour out my spirit to you;
    I will make my words known to you.

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Footnotes

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

23 You should respond when I correct you.
    Look, I’ll pour out my spirit on you.
    I’ll reveal my words to you.

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The Value of Wisdom

(A)My son, (B)if you receive my words
    and treasure up my commandments with you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight
    and raise your voice (C)for understanding,
if you seek it like (D)silver
    and search for it as for (E)hidden treasures,
then (F)you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
For (G)the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

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Benefits of wisdom

My son, accept my words
    and store up my commands.
Turn your ear toward wisdom,
    and stretch your mind toward understanding.
Call out for insight,
    and cry aloud for understanding.
Seek it like silver;
    search for it like hidden treasure.
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
    and discover the knowledge of God.
The Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

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(A)When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
    but with (B)the humble is wisdom.

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When pride comes, so does shame,
    but wisdom brings humility.

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15 (A)The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
    but a wise man listens to advice.

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15 Fools see their own way as right,
    but the wise listen to advice.

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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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13 A wise son listens to[a] the discipline of his father,
    but a mocker doesn’t listen to correction.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:1 Heb lacks listens to.

10 (A)By insolence comes nothing but strife,
    but with those who take advice is wisdom.

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10 The empty-headed cause conflict out of pride;
    those who take advice are wise.

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20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

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20 Walk with wise people and become wise;
    befriend fools and get in trouble.

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(A)A scoffer seeks wisdom (B)in vain,
    but (C)knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
    but the folly of fools is deceiving.

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A mocker searches for wisdom and gets none,
    but knowledge comes quickly to the intelligent.
Stay away from fools,
    for you won’t learn wise speech there.
By their wisdom the prudent understand their way,
    but the stupidity of fools deceives them.

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18 The simple inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

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18 Stupidity is the lot of the naive,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

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29 Whoever is (A)slow to anger has great understanding,
    but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

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29 Patience leads to abundant understanding,
    but impatience leads to stupid mistakes.

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33 Wisdom (A)rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
    but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:33 Or Wisdom rests quietly in the heart of a man of understanding, but makes itself known in the midst of fools

33 Wisdom resides in an understanding heart,
    but it’s not[a] known in fools.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:33 LXX; MT lacks not.