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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,

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Footnotes

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

Avoid the Path of the Violent

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,(A)

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The Call of Lady Wisdom

20 Wisdom calls out in the streets,
    in the squares she raises her voice.
21 On a busy corner[a] she cries out,
    at the entrances of the gates in the city, she speaks her sayings:
22 How long,[b] O simple ones, will you love simplicity?
    And how long will scoffers delight in their scoffing,
    and fools hate knowledge?
23 May you turn to my argument![c]
    Behold, I shall pour out my spirit upon you;
    I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I called out and you refused me,
    I stretched out my hand, yet there is none who heeds.
25 You have ignored all my counsel,
    and my reproof you are not willing to accept.
26 I will also laugh at your calamity;[d]
    I will mock when panic[e] comes upon you.
27 When your panic comes like a storm,
    and your calamity arrives like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come upon you,
28 then they will call[f] me, but I will not answer;
    they will seek me diligently but not find me.
29 Since they hated knowledge,
    and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,
30 they were not willing to accept my counsel,
    they despised all my reproof.
31 They shall eat from the fruit of their way,
    and they shall be sated from their own schemes,
32 for the waywardness of the simple ones will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 Whoever listens to me will dwell in security
    and rest securely[g] from dread and disaster.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:21 Literally “head of commotion,” or “head of stirring, bustling”
  2. Proverbs 1:22 Literally “Until when”
  3. Proverbs 1:23 Or “turn at my reproach”
  4. Proverbs 1:26 Or “downfall”
  5. Proverbs 1:26 Or “dread, fear”
  6. Proverbs 1:28 Or “cry out to
  7. Proverbs 1:33 Or “be at ease, peace”

Wisdom’s Plea

20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she raises her voice in the public squares.(A)
21 She cries out above[a] the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
22 “How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers(B) enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?(C)
23 If you respond to my warning,[b](D)
then I will pour out my spirit on you(E)
and teach you my words.
24 Since I called out and you refused,(F)
extended my hand and no one paid attention,(G)
25 since you neglected all my counsel(H)
and did not accept my correction,
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.(I)
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will search for me, but won’t find me.(J)
29 Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,(K)
30 were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,(L)
31 they will eat the fruit of their way(M)
and be glutted with their own schemes.(N)
32 For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them,(O)
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be free from the fear of danger.”(P)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:21 Lit at the head of
  2. Proverbs 1:23 Lit back to my reprimand

Happy Is the One Who Finds Wisdom

11 Do not despise the discipline of Yahweh, my child.
    Do not be weary of his reproof
12 because whomever Yahweh will love, he will rebuke,
    as a father delights in his son.

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11 Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son,
and do not loathe His discipline;(A)
12 for the Lord disciplines the one He loves,
just as a father, the son he delights in.(B)

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The Father’s Wisdom

Children, listen to the instruction of a father,
    and be attentive in order to know insight.

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A Father’s Example

Listen, my sons, to a father’s discipline,(A)
and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,

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He who corrects a scoffer gains abuse for himself,
    and he who rebukes the wicked gets hurt.[a]
Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you;
    rebuke the wise and he will love you.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:7 Literally “abuse him”

The one who corrects a mocker
will bring dishonor on himself;
the one who rebukes a wicked man will get hurt.[a]
Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;(A)
rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:7 Lit man his blemish

17 On the path to life is he who guards instruction,
    but he who rejects rebuke goes astray.

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17 The one who follows instruction is on the path to life,
but the one who rejects correction goes astray.(A)

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12 He who loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but he who hates rebuke is stupid.

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12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but one who hates correction is stupid.(A)

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13 A wise child hears the discipline of a father,
    but a scoffer does not listen to a rebuke.

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13 A wise son responds to his father’s discipline,
but a mocker doesn’t listen to rebuke.

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18 Poverty and disgrace belong to him who ignores instruction,
    but he who guards reproof will be honored.

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18 Poverty and disgrace come to those
who ignore discipline,
but the one who accepts correction will be honored.(A)

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A fool will despise the instruction of his father,
    but he who guards reproof is prudent.

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A fool despises his father’s discipline,
but a person who accepts correction is sensible.(A)

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12 A scoffer does not like his rebuke;[a]
    to the wise he will not go.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:12 Literally “rebuke belonging to him”

12 A mocker doesn’t love one who corrects him;(A)
he will not consult the wise.

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32 He who ignores instruction despises himself,[a]
    but he who hears admonition gains heart.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:32 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  2. Proverbs 15:32 Or “mind”

32 Anyone who ignores discipline despises himself,(A)
but whoever listens to correction acquires good sense.[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:32 Lit acquires a heart