Personal testimony: 'When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother.' The father now speaks from personal memory, establishing his credibility. He was himself once young and vulnerable ('tender,' raq means soft, young, inexperienced). 'Only child of my mother' emphasizes his previous position of being favored and perhaps indulged. This vulnerable position makes him a credible witness: he was not naturally inclined toward self-denial or discipline. He had to learn wisdom. This personal grounding invites the son to see that wisdom is achievable for ordinary young people, not just the naturally virtuous.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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