<p class="poetry">Listen to advice<n id="1" /> and receive discipline,p> <p class="poetry">that<n id="2" /> you may become wise<n id="3" /> by the end of your life.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">If you stop listening to<n id="1" /> instruction, my child,p> <p class="poetry">you will stray<n id="2" /> from the words of knowledge.p>

<p class="poetry">Folly is bound up<n id="1" /> in the heart of a child,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">but the rod of discipline<n id="3" /> will drive it far from him.p>

<p class="poetry">When I saw this, I gave careful consideration to it;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I received instruction from what I saw:<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">The people of those nations<n id="1" /> are both stupid and foolish.p> <p class="poetry">Instruction from a wooden idol is worthless!<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">For the commandments<n id="1" /> are like<n id="2" /> a lamp,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">instruction is like a light,p> <p class="poetry">and rebukes of discipline are like<n id="4" /> the road leading to life,<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Suddenly he went<n id="1" /> after herp> <p class="poetry">like an ox that goes to the slaughter,p> <p class="poetry">like a stag prancing into a trapper&#8217;s snare<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Do not withhold discipline from a child;p> <p class="poetry">even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die.p> <p class="poetry">

<t /><p class="poetry">Here is a message about Damascus:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Look, Damascus is no longer a city,p> <p class="poetry">it is a heap of ruins!p>

<p class="poetry">He was wounded because of<n id="1" /> our rebellious deeds,p> <p class="poetry">crushed because of our sins;p> <p class="poetry">he endured punishment that made us well;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">because of his wounds we have been healed.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;It did no good for me to punish your people.p> <p class="poetry">They did not respond to such correction.p> <p class="poetry">You slaughtered your prophetsp> <p class="poetry">like a voracious lion.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry"><sc>Lordsc>, I know you look for faithfulness.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">But even when you punish these people, they feel no remorse.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Even when you nearly destroy them, they refuse to be corrected.p> <p class="poetry">They have become as hardheaded as a rock.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">They refuse to change their ways.<n id="4" />p>

So tell them: &#8216;This is a nation that has not obeyed the <sc>Lordsc> their God and has not accepted correction. Faithfulness is nowhere to be found in it. These people do not even profess it anymore.<n id="1" />

Your ancestors,<n id="1" /> however, did not listen to me or pay any attention to me. They stubbornly refused<n id="2" /> to pay attention or to respond to any discipline.&#8217;

<p class="poetry">All your allies have abandoned you.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They no longer have any concern for you.p> <p class="poetry">For I have attacked you like an enemy would.p> <p class="poetry">I have chastened you cruelly.p> <p class="poetry">For your wickedness is so greatp> <p class="poetry">and your sin is so much.<n id="2" />p>

They have turned away from me instead of turning to me.<n id="1" /> I tried over and over again<n id="2" /> to instruct them, but they did not listen and respond to correction.<n id="3" />

You will be<n id="1" /> an object of scorn and taunting,<n id="2" /> a prime example of destruction<n id="3" /> among the nations around you when I execute judgments against you in anger and raging fury.<n id="4" /> I, the <sc>Lord,sc> have spoken!

<p class="poetry">She is disobedient;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">she refuses correction.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">She does not trust the <sc>Lordsc>;p> <p class="poetry">she does not seek the advice of<n id="3" /> her God.p>

<p class="poetry">I thought,<n id="1" /> &#8216;Certainly you will respect<n id="2" /> me!p> <p class="poetry">Now you will accept correction!&#8217;p> <p class="poetry">If she had done so, her home<n id="3" /> would not be destroyed<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">by all the punishments I have threatened.<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">But they eagerly sinnedp> <p class="poetry">in everything they did.<n id="6" />p>

Bear in mind today that I am not speaking<n id="1" /> to your children who have not personally experienced the judgments<n id="2" /> of the <sc>Lordsc> your God, which revealed<n id="3" /> his greatness, strength, and power.<n id="4" />