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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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Warnings against Evil Companions

Hear, my child, your father’s instruction,
    and do not reject your mother’s teaching,(A)
for they are a fair garland for your head
    and pendants for your neck.(B)

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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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Admonition to Trust and Honor God

My child, do not forget my teaching,
    but let your heart keep my commandments,(A)
for length of days and years of life
    and abundant welfare they will give you.(B)

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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.

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Parental Advice

Listen, children, to a father’s instruction,
    and be attentive, that you may gain[a] insight,(A)
for I give you good precepts:
    do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a son with my father,
    tender and my mother’s favorite,(B)
he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
    keep my commandments and live.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 4.1 Heb know

10 The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a glad father;
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

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Wise Sayings of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise child makes a glad father,
    but a foolish child is a mother’s grief.(A)

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22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
    but the wealth of the sinner is stored for the righteous.

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22 The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children,
    but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.(A)

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20 A wise son makes a father glad,
    but a foolish man despises his mother.

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20 A wise child makes a glad father,
    but the foolish despise their mothers.(A)

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Children’s children are the crown of old men;
    the glory of children are their parents.

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Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their parents.(A)

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21 He who becomes the father of a fool grieves.
    The father of a fool has no joy.

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21 The one who fathers a fool gets trouble;
    the parent of a fool has no joy.(A)

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25 A foolish son brings grief to his father,
    and bitterness to her who bore him.

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25 Foolish children are a grief to their father
    and bitterness to her who bore them.(A)

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13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father.
    A wife’s quarrels are a continual dripping.

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13 A stupid child is ruin to a father,
    and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.(A)

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18 Discipline your son, for there is hope;
    don’t be a willing party to his death.

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18 Discipline your children while there is hope;
    do not set your heart on their destruction.(A)

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26 He who robs his father and drives away his mother
    is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

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26 Those who do violence to their father and chase away their mother
    are children who cause shame and bring reproach.

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A righteous man walks in integrity.
    Blessed are his children after him.

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The righteous walk in integrity—
    happy are the children who follow them!(A)

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