Proverbs
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The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
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To learn wisdom and moral instruction, and to discern wise counsel.
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To receive moral instruction in skillful living, in righteousness, justice, and equity.
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To impart shrewdness to the morally naive, and a discerning plan to the young person.
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(Let the wise also hear and gain instruction, and let the discerning acquire guidance!)
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To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable, the sayings of the wise and their riddles.
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Fearing the LORD is the beginning of moral knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
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Listen, my child, to the instruction from your father, and do not forsake the teaching from your mother.
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For they will be like an elegant garland on your head, and like pendants around your neck.
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My child, if sinners try to entice you, do not consent!
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If they say, "Come with us! We will lie in wait to shed blood; we will ambush an innocent person capriciously.
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We will swallow them alive like Sheol, those full of vigor like those going down to the Pit.
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We will seize all kinds of precious wealth; we will fill our houses with plunder.
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Join with us! We will all share equally in what we steal."
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My child, do not go down their way, withhold yourself from their path;
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for they are eager to inflict harm, and they hasten to shed blood.
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Surely it is futile to spread a net in plain sight of any bird,
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but these men lie in wait for their own blood, they ambush their own lives!
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Such are the ways of all who gain profit unjustly; it takes away the life of those who obtain it!
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Wisdom calls out in the street, she shouts loudly in the plazas;
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at the head of the noisy streets she calls, in the entrances of the gates in the city she utters her words:
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"How long will you simpletons love naiveté? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
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If only you will respond to my rebuke, then I will pour out my thoughts to you and I will make my words known to you.
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However, because I called but you refused to listen, because I stretched out my hand but no one paid attention,
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because you neglected all my advice, and did not comply with my rebuke,
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so I myself will laugh when disaster strikes you, I will mock when what you dread comes,
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when what you dread comes like a whirlwind, and disaster strikes you like a devastating storm, when distressing trouble comes on you.
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Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me.
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Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the Lord,
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they did not comply with my advice, they spurned all my rebuke.
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Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel.
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For the waywardness of the simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them.
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But the one who listens to me will live in security, and will be at ease from the dread of harm.
2
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My child, if you receive my words, and store up my commands within you,
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by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding,
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indeed, if you call out for discernment - raise your voice for understanding -
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if you seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasure,
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then you will understand how to fear the Lord, and you will discover knowledge about God.
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For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
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He stores up effective counsel for the upright, and is like a shield for those who live with integrity,
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to guard the paths of the righteous and to protect the way of his pious ones.
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Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity - every good way.
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For wisdom will enter your heart, and moral knowledge will be attractive to you.
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Discretion will protect you, understanding will guard you,
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to deliver you from the way of the wicked, from those speaking perversity,
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who leave the upright paths to walk on the dark ways,
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who delight in doing evil, they rejoice in perverse evil;
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whose paths are morally crooked, and who are devious in their ways;
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to deliver you from the adulteress, from the sexually loose woman who speaks flattering words;
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who leaves the husband from her younger days, and forgets her marriage covenant made before God.
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For her house sinks down to death, and her paths lead to the place of the departed spirits.
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None who go in to her will return, nor will they reach the paths of life.
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So you will walk in the way of good people, and will keep on the paths of the righteous.
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For the upright will reside in the land, and those with integrity will remain in it,
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but the wicked will be removed from the land, and the treacherous will be torn away from it.
3
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My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
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for they will provide a long and full life, and they will add well-being to you.
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Do not let truth and mercy leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
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Then you will find favor and good understanding, in the sight of God and people.
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Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.
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Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight.
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Do not be wise in your own estimation; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
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This will bring healing to your body, and refreshment to your inner self.
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Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first fruits of all your crops;
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then your barns will be filled completely, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
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My child, do not despise discipline from the Lord, and do not loathe his rebuke.
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For the LORD disciplines those he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.
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Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who obtains understanding.
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For her benefit is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than gold.
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She is more precious than rubies, and none of the things you desire can compare with her.
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Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
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Her ways are very pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.
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She is like a tree of life to those who obtain her, and everyone who grasps hold of her will be blessed.
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By wisdom the LORD laid the foundation of the earth; he established the heavens by understanding.
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By his knowledge the primordial sea was broken open, and the clouds drip down dew.
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My child, do not let them escape from your sight; safeguard sound wisdom and discretion.
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So they will give life to you, and grace to adorn your neck.
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Then you will walk on your way with security, and you will not stumble.
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When you lie down you will not be filled with fear; when you lie down your sleep will be pleasant.
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You will not be afraid of sudden disaster, or when destruction overtakes the wicked;
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for the LORD will be the source of your confidence, and he will guard your foot from being caught in a trap.
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Do not withhold good from those who need it, when you have the ability to help.
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Do not say to your neighbor, "Go! Return tomorrow and I will give it," when you have it with you at the time.
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Do not plot evil against your neighbor when he dwells by you unsuspectingly.
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Do not accuse anyone without legitimate cause, if he has not treated you wrongly.
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Do not envy a violent man, and do not choose to imitate any of his ways;
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for one who goes astray is an abomination to the Lord, but he reveals his intimate counsel to the upright.
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The LORD's curse is on the household of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.
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Although he is scornful to arrogant scoffers, yet he shows favor to the humble.
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The wise inherit honor, but he holds fools up to public contempt.
4
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Listen, children, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so that you may gain discernment.
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Because I give you good instruction, do not forsake my teaching.
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When I was a son to my father, a tender only child before my mother,
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he taught me, and he said to me: "Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands so that you will live.
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Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding; do not forget and do not turn aside from the words I speak.
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Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will guard you.
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Wisdom is supreme - so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding!
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Esteem her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
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She will place a fair garland on your head; she will bestow a beautiful crown on you."
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Listen, my child, and accept my words, so that the years of your life will be many.
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I will guide you in the way of wisdom and I will lead you in upright paths.
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When you walk, your steps will not be hampered, and when you run, you will not stumble.
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Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; protect it, because it is your life.
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Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil.
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Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it, and go on.
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For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble.
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For they eat bread gained from wickedness and drink wine obtained from violence.
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But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, growing brighter and brighter until full day.
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The way of the wicked is like gloomy darkness; they do not know what causes them to stumble.
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My child, pay attention to my words; listen attentively to my sayings.
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Do not let them depart from your sight, guard them within your heart;
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for they are life to those who find them and healing to one's entire body.
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Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life.
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Remove perverse speech from your mouth; keep devious talk far from your lips.
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Let your eyes look directly in front of you and let your gaze look straight before you.
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Make the path for your feet level, so that all your ways may be established.
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Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn yourself away from evil.
Text used with permission – http://bible.org/
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Verse set info
Put together by janet23.
Created on Oct 5, 2024.
Created on Oct 5, 2024.
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