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Lecture Against Gang Behavior

My child, may you keep[a] your father’s instruction,
    and do not reject your mother’s teachings,
for they are a garland of favor for your head,
    and pendants for your neck.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:8 Or “obey,” or “hear”

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 Father’s Wisdom

Children, listen to the instruction of a father,
    and be attentive in order to know insight.
For I have given you good instruction;
    do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a son to my father,
    tender and alone before my mother,
he taught me and said to me,
    “May your heart hold fast to my words;
    guard my commandments and live.

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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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Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise child makes a father glad,
    but a foolish child grieves his mother.

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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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20 A child of wisdom will make a father glad,
    but a foolish person,[a] he despises his mother.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:20 Literally “foolishness of humankind”

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

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21 He who begets a fool, there is trouble for him;
    the father of a fool will not rejoice.

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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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25 A grief to his father is the child of a fool,
    and bitterness to her who bore him.

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

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26 He who does violence to a father, he who chases away a mother,
    is a child who causes shame and brings reproach.

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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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20 He who curses his father and his mother,
    his lamp will be extinguished in the midst of darkness.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:20 Literally “in a pupil of darkness”

20 Whoever curses his father or his mother,
    his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.

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11 There is a generation that will curse its father,
    and its mother it will not bless.
12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
    but from its filthiness it will not be cleansed.

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11 There is a generation that curses their father,
    and doesn’t bless their mother.
12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes,
    yet are not washed from their filthiness.

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17 The eye that mocks a father
    and scorns the obedience of a mother—
the ravens of the valley will peck it out,
    and the offspring of vultures will eat it.

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17 “The eye that mocks at his father,
    and scorns obedience to his mother:
    the ravens of the valley shall pick it out,
    the young eagles shall eat it.

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