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Knowledge begins with fear and respect for the Lord, but stubborn fools hate wisdom and refuse to learn.

Advice to a Son

My son,[a] listen to your father when he corrects you, and don’t ignore what your mother teaches you. What you learn from your parents will bring you honor and respect, like a crown or a gold medal.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:8 My son The proverbs in this section may have been directed originally to a teenage boy, perhaps a prince, who was becoming a young man. They are intended to teach him how to be a responsible person and leader who loves and respects God.
  2. Proverbs 1:9 Literally, “They are like a wreath of favor to your head and a necklace around your neck.”

The fear of the Lord(A) is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools[a] despise wisdom(B) and instruction.(C)

Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

Listen, my son,(D) to your father’s(E) instruction
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(F)
They are a garland to grace your head
    and a chain to adorn your neck.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.