A Father's Wise Instruction
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Hear, a my children, the instruction of a father,
And give attention to know understanding;
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For I give you good doctrine:
Do not forsake my law.
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When I was my father's son,
b Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
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c He also taught me, and said to me:
"Let your heart retain my words;
d Keep my commands, and live.
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e Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
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Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
f Love her, and she will keep you.
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g Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
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h Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
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She will place on your head i an ornament of grace;
A crown of glory she will deliver to you."
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Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
j And the years of your life will be many.
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I have k taught you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in right paths.
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When you walk, l your steps will not be hindered,
m And when you run, you will not stumble.
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Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;
Keep her, for she is your life.
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n Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not walk in the way of evil.
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Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
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o For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;
And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.
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For they eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.
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p But the path of the just q is like the shining sun,
That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
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r The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know what makes them stumble.
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My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
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Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
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For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
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Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of s life.
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Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
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Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
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Ponder the path of your t feet,
And let all your ways be established.
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Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.
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Cross References
Psalms 34:11
Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Proverbs 1:8
My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother.
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Cross References
1 Chronicles 29:1
Furthermore King David said to all the assembly: "My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the LORD God.
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Cross References
1 Chronicles 28:9
As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.
Ephesians 6:4
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
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Cross References
Proverbs 7:2
Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye.
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Cross References
Proverbs 2:2
So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding.
Proverbs 2:3
Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding.
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Cross References
2 Thessalonians 2:10
And with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
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Cross References
Proverbs 3:13
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding.
Proverbs 3:14
For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold.
Matthew 13:44
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
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Cross References
1 Samuel 2:30
Therefore the LORD God of Israel says: 'I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.' But now the LORD says: 'Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.
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Cross References
Proverbs 3:22
So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck.
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Cross References
Proverbs 3:2
For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
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Cross References
1 Samuel 12:23
Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.
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Cross References
Job 18:7
The steps of his strength are shortened, And his own counsel casts him down.
Psalms 18:36
You enlarged my path under me, So my feet did not slip.
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Cross References
Psalms 91:11
For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.
Proverbs 3:23
Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble.
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Cross References
Psalms 1:1
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
Proverbs 1:15
My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path.
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Cross References
Psalms 36:4
He devises wickedness on his bed; He sets himself in a way that is not good; He does not abhor evil.
Micah 2:1
Woe to those who devise iniquity, And work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, Because it is in the power of their hand.
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Cross References
Isaiah 26:7
The way of the just is uprightness; O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just.
Matthew 5:14
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Matthew 5:45
That you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Philippians 2:15
That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
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Cross References
2 Samuel 23:4
And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, Like the tender grass springing out of the earth, By clear shining after rain.
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Cross References
1 Samuel 2:9
He will guard the feet of His saints, But the w...
Job 18:5
The light of the wicked indeed goes out, And th...
Job 18:6
The light is dark in his tent, And his lamp bes...
Proverbs 2:13
From those who leave the paths of uprightness T...
Isaiah 59:9
Therefore justice is far from us, Nor does righ...
Isaiah 59:10
We grope for the wall like the blind, And we gr...
Jeremiah 23:12
Therefore their way shall be to them Like slipp...
John 12:35
Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer...
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Cross References
Matthew 12:34
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Matthew 15:18
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.
Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
Mark 7:21
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders.
Luke 6:45
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
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Cross References
Proverbs 5:21
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He ponders all his paths.
Hebrews 12:13
And make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.