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For many days, and years of life,(A)
    and peace, will they bring you.

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for they will prolong your life many years(A)
    and bring you peace and prosperity.(B)

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The Two Ways[a]

10 Hear, my son, and receive my words,
    and the years of your life shall be many.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 4:10–19 A central metaphor of the poem is “the way.” The way of wisdom leads directly to life (vv. 10–13); it is a light that grows brighter (v. 18). The wise are bound to shun (vv. 14–17) the dark and violent path of the wicked (v. 19). Singleness of purpose and right conduct proceed from the heart of the wise as from the source of life (vv. 23–26), saving them from destruction on evil paths (4:27; 5:21–23). As in 1:8–19 and 2:12–15, the obstacles to the quest are men and their way. Elsewhere in chaps. 1–9, the obstacle is the foreign woman (2:16–19; chap. 5; 6:20–35; chap. 7; 9:13–18).

10 Listen, my son,(A) accept what I say,
    and the years of your life will be many.(B)

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11 For by me your days will be multiplied
    and the years of your life increased.(A)

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11 For through wisdom[a] your days will be many,
    and years will be added to your life.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 9:11 Septuagint, Syriac and Targum; Hebrew me

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
    turning one from the snares of death.

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27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,(A)
    turning a person from the snares of death.(B)

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