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My son, listen to your father’s instruction,
    and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching:
for they will be a garland to grace your head,
    and chains around your neck.

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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;
For they will be a (B)graceful ornament on your head,
And chains about your neck.

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My son, don’t forget my teaching;
    but let your heart keep my commandments:
for they will add to you length of days,
    years of life, and peace.

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Guidance for the Young

My son, do not forget my law,
(A)But let your heart keep my commands;
For length of days and long life
And (B)peace they will add to you.

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Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction.
    Pay attention and know understanding;
for I give you sound learning.
    Don’t forsake my law.
For I was a son to my father,
    tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
He taught me, and said to me:
    “Let your heart retain my words.
    Keep my commandments, and live.
Get wisdom.
    Get understanding.
    Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you.
    Love her, and she will keep you.
Wisdom is supreme.
    Get wisdom.
    Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you.
    She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
She will give to your head a garland of grace.
    She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”

10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings.
    The years of your life will be many.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom.
    I have led you in straight paths.
12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered.
    When you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction.
    Don’t let her go.
    Keep her, for she is your life.

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Security in Wisdom

Hear, (A)my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;
For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law.
When I was my father’s son,
(B)Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
(C)He also taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words;
(D)Keep my commands, and live.
(E)Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
(F)Love her, and she will keep you.
(G)Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
(H)Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
She will place on your head (I)an ornament of grace;
A crown of glory she will deliver to you.”

10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
(J)And the years of your life will be many.
11 I have (K)taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
12 When you walk, (L)your steps will not be hindered,
(M)And when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.

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20 My son, attend to my words.
    Turn your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes.
    Keep them in the center of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
    and health to their whole body.

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20 My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
22 For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.

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My son, pay attention to my wisdom.
    Turn your ear to my understanding,
that you may maintain discretion,
    that your lips may preserve knowledge.

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The Peril of Adultery

My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
[a]Lend your ear to my understanding,
That you may [b]preserve discretion,
And your lips (A)may keep knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 5:1 Lit. Bow
  2. Proverbs 5:2 appreciate good judgment

20 My son, keep your father’s commandment,
    and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them continually on your heart.
    Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, it will lead you.
    When you sleep, it will watch over you.
    When you awake, it will talk with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp,
    and the law is light.
    Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

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Beware of Adultery

20 (A)My son, keep your father’s command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
21 (B)Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
22 (C)When you roam, [a]they will lead you;
When you sleep, (D)they will keep you;
And when you awake, they will speak with you.
23 (E)For the commandment is a lamp,
And the law a light;
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:22 Lit. it

My son, keep my words.
    Lay up my commandments within you.
Keep my commandments and live!
    Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers.
    Write them on the tablet of your heart.

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The Wiles of a Harlot

My son, keep my words,
And (A)treasure my commands within you.
(B)Keep my commands and live,
(C)And my law as the apple of your eye.
(D)Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.

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

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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

16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
    but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die.

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16 (A)He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who [a]is careless of his ways will die.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:16 Is reckless, lit. despises

22 Listen to your father who gave you life,
    and don’t despise your mother when she is old.

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22 (A)Listen to your father who begot you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.

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Those who forsake the law praise the wicked;
    but those who keep the law contend with them.

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(A)Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
(B)But such as keep the law contend with them.

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Whoever keeps the law is a wise son;
    but he who is a companion of gluttons shames his father.

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Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
But a companion of gluttons shames his father.

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18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
    but one who keeps the law is blessed.

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18 (A)Where there is no [a]revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But (B)happy is he who keeps the law.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:18 prophetic vision