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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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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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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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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

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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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 He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind.
    The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.

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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 wise son makes a father glad,
    but a foolish man 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 deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame,
    and shall have a part in the inheritance among the 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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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 pride of children is their parents.

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

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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 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 foolish son is the calamity of his father.
    A wife’s quarrels are a continual 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 who robs his father and drives away his mother
    is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

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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 Whoever curses his father or his mother,
    his lamp shall be put out in blackness 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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