Proverbs 1

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

2 To know wisdom and instruction; To discern the words of understanding;

3 To receive instruction in wise dealing, In righteousness and justice and equity;

4 To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion:

5 That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:

6 To understand a proverb, and a figure, The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:

9 For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, And chains about thy neck.

10 My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not.

11 If they say, Come with us, Let us lay wait for blood; Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;

12 Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, And whole, as those that go down into the pit;

13 We shall find all precious substance; We shall fill our houses with spoil;

14 Thou shalt cast thy lot among us; We will all have one purse:

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; Refrain thy foot from their path:

16 For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood.

17 For in vain is the net spread In the sight of any bird:

18 And these lay wait for their own blood; They lurk privily for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; It taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

20 Wisdom crieth aloud in the street; She uttereth her voice in the broad places;

21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse; At the entrance of the gates, In the city, she uttereth her words:

22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you; I will make known my words unto you.

24 Because I have called, and ye have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, And would none of my reproof:

26 I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

27 When your fear cometh as a storm, And your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; When distress and anguish come upon you.

28 Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me:

29 For that they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of Jehovah:

30 They would none of my counsel; They despised all my reproof.

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own devices.

32 For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.

33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, And shall be quiet without fear of evil.

Proverbs 1

Introduction: how proverbs can be used

1 These are the proverbst
of King Solomon of Israel,
the son of David.

2 Proverbs will teach you
wisdom and self-control
and how to understand
sayings with deep meanings.

3 You will learn what is right
and honest and fair.

4 From these, an ordinary person
can learn to be clever,
and young people can gain
knowledge and good sense.

5 If you are already wise,
you will become even wiser.
And if you are clever,
you will learn to understand

6 proverbs and sayings,
as well as words of wisdom
and all kinds of riddles.

7 Respect and obey the Lord!t
This is the beginning
of knowledge.t
Only a fool rejects wisdom
and good advice.

Parental advice on the importance of seeking wisdom and not being foolish

Warnings against bad friends

8 My child, obey the teachings
of your parents,

9 and wear their teachings
as you would a lovely hat
or a pretty necklace.

10 Don't be tempted by sinners
or listen

11 when they say,
“Come on! Let's gang up
and kill somebody,
just for the fun of it!

12 They're well and healthy now,
but we'll finish them off
once and for all.

13 We'll take their valuables
and fill our homes
with stolen goods.

14 If you join our gang,
you'll get your share.”

15 Don't follow anyone like that
or do what they do.

16 They are in a big hurry
to commit some crime,
perhaps even murder.

17 They are like a bird
that sees the bait,
but ignores the trap.t

18 They gang up to murder someone,
but they are the victims.

19 The wealth you get from crime
robs you of your life.

Wisdom speaks

20 Wisdomt shouts in the streetst
wherever crowds gather.

21 She shouts in the market places
and near the city gates
as she says to the people,

22 “How much longer
will you enjoy
being stupid fools?
Won't you ever stop sneering
and laughing at knowledge?

23 Listen as I correct you
and tell you what I think.

24 You completely ignored me
and refused to listen;

25 you rejected my advice
and paid no attention
when I warned you.

26 “So when you are struck
by some terrible disaster,

27 or when trouble and distress
surround you like a whirlwind,
I will laugh and make fun of you.

28 You will ask for my help,
but I won't listen;
you will search,
but you won't find me.

29 No, you would not learn,
and you refused
to respect the Lord.

30 You rejected my advice
and paid no attention
when I warned you.

31 “Now you will eat the fruit
of what you have done,
until you are stuffed full
with your own schemes.

32 Sin and self-satisfaction
bring destruction and death
to stupid fools.

33 But if you listen to me,
you will be safe and secure
without fear of disaster.”