The Enticement of Sinners

(A)Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
And (B)do not ignore your mother’s teaching;
For they are a (C)graceful wreath for your head
And (D)necklaces for your neck.

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The Minor Theme

My son, listen to your father’s instruction,
    and do not let go of your mother’s teaching.
They will be a graceful wreath for your head
    and a chain for your neck.

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A Father’s Instruction

Listen, my sons, to the (A)instruction of a father,
And (B)pay attention so that you may [a]gain understanding,
For I give you good (C)teaching;
(D)Do not abandon my [b]instruction.
When I was a son to my father,
(E)Tender and (F)the only son in the sight of my mother,
He (G)taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart (H)take hold of my words;
(I)Keep my commandments and live;

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:1 Lit know
  2. Proverbs 4:2 Or law

Diligently Pursue Wisdom

Listen, children,[a] to your father’s instruction,
and pay attention in order to gain understanding.
I give you sound teaching,
so do not abandon my instruction.[b]
When I was a son to my father,
    not yet strong[c] and an only son to my mother,
he taught me and told me,
    “Let your heart fully embrace what I have to say;[d]
        keep my commandments and live!

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:1 Lit. sons
  2. Proverbs 4:2 Or law
  3. Proverbs 4:3 Lit. delicate
  4. Proverbs 4:4 Lit. embrace my words

Contrast of the Righteous and the Wicked

10 The (A)proverbs of Solomon.

(B)A wise son makes a father glad,
But (C)a foolish son is a grief to his mother.

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Solomon’s Sayings

10 The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son brings joy to his father,
    but a foolish son grieves his mother.

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29 One who (A)troubles his own house will (B)inherit wind,
And (C)the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.

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29 Whoever troubles his household will inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be a servant to the wise.

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20 A (A)wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man (B)despises his mother.

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

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A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,
And will share in the inheritance among brothers.

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A prudent servant will rule in place of a disgraceful son
    and will share in the inheritance among brothers.

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(A)Grandchildren are the crown of the old,
And the (B)glory of sons is their fathers.

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Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
    and the pride of children is their parents.

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21 He who (A)fathers a fool does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.

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21 The man who fathers a fool does so to his sorrow—
    the father of a fool has no joy.

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25 A (A)foolish son is a grief to his father,
And (B)bitterness to her who gave birth to him.

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25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
    and bitterness to his mother.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:25 Lit. to the one who bore him

13 A (A)foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the (B)quarrels of a wife are a constant dripping.

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13 A father’s ruin is a foolish son,
    and a wife’s quarreling is like[a] dripping water that never stops.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:13 The Heb. lacks like

26 He (A)who assaults his father and drives his mother away
Is a shameful and disgraceful son.

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26 Whoever mistreats his father
    and alienates his mother
        is a son who brings both shame and disrespect.

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20 He who (A)curses his father or his mother,
His (B)lamp will go out in time of darkness.

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20 Whoever curses his father or mother,
    his lamp will be extinguished in the deepest darkness.

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