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Wisdom and Piety

My child, do not forget my instruction,
    and may your heart guard my commands.
For length of days, years of life,
    and peace they[a] shall add to you.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:2 That is, “my commands” (3:1)

Trust the Lord

My son, don’t forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commands;(A)
for they will bring you
many days, a full life,[a](B) and well-being.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 3:2 Lit days, years of life

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.
Give to a wise one and he will become more wise;
    teach[b] a righteous one and he will increase learning.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:7 Literally “abuse him”
  2. Proverbs 9:9 Literally “make known to”

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)
Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still;
teach a righteous man, and he will learn more.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:7 Lit man his blemish

A heart of wisdom will heed commandments,
    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

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A wise heart accepts commands,(A)
but foolish lips will be destroyed.

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15 The way of a fool is upright in his own eyes,
    but he who listens to advice is wise.

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15 A fool’s way is right in his own eyes,(A)
but whoever listens to counsel is wise.

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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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13 He who despises a word will bring destruction on himself,
    but he who respects a commandment will be rewarded.

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13 The one who has contempt for instruction will pay the penalty,(A)
but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.(B)

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31 The ear of him who listens to admonitions of life,
    in the midst of the wise it will lodge.

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31 One who[a] listens to life-giving rebukes(A)
will be at home among the wise.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:31 Lit An ear that

10 A rebuke strikes him who understands
    deeper than one hundred blows to a fool.

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10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.

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16 He who guards commandments guards his life;[a]
    he who is careless of his ways will be killed.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:16 Or “soul,” or “inner self”

16 The one who keeps commands preserves himself;(A)
one who disregards[a] his ways will die.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:16 Or despises, or treats lightly

20 Listen to advice and accept instruction
    so that you will gain wisdom for your future.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:20 Literally “after things

20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction
so that you may be wise later in life.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:20 Lit in your end

25 The scoffer you shall strike, and the simple, may they learn prudence,
    and reprove the intelligent and he will gain knowledge.

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25 Strike a mocker, and the inexperienced learn a lesson;(A)
rebuke the discerning, and he gains knowledge.(B)

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27 Cease to listen to instruction, my child,
    and you will stray[a] from sayings of knowledge.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:27 Literally “in order to stray”

27 If you stop listening to correction, my son,
you will stray from the words of knowledge.

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