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19 Hear, my son, and (A)be wise,
    and (B)direct your heart in the way.
20 Be not among (C)drunkards[a]
    or among (D)gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
    and (E)slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 (F)Listen to your father who gave you life,
    (G)and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 (H)Buy truth, and do not sell it;
    buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 (I)The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
    he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25 (J)Let your father and mother be glad;
    let (K)her who bore you rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart,
    and let your eyes observe[b] my ways.
27 For a prostitute is (L)a deep pit;
    (M)an adulteress[c] is a narrow (N)well.
28 (O)She lies in wait like a robber
    and increases the traitors among mankind.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:20 Hebrew those who drink too much wine
  2. Proverbs 23:26 Or delight in
  3. Proverbs 23:27 Hebrew a foreign woman