Proverbs 1

Chapter 1

The Purpose of Proverbs

1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.7 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

A Father’s Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom

8 My child,t listen when your father corrects you.
Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.9 What you learn from them will crown you with grace
and be a chain of honor around your neck.10 My child, if sinners entice you,
turn your back on them!11 They may say, “Come and join us.
Let’s hide and kill someone!
Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the gravet;
let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.13 Think of the great things we’ll get!
We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.14 Come, throw in your lot with us;
we’ll all share the loot.”15 My child, don’t go along with them!
Stay far away from their paths.16 They rush to commit evil deeds.
They hurry to commit murder.17 If a bird sees a trap being set,
it knows to stay away.18 But these people set an ambush for themselves;
they are trying to get themselves killed.19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money;
it robs them of life.

Wisdom Shouts in the Streets

20 Wisdom shouts in the streets.
She cries out in the public square.21 She calls to the crowds along the main street,
to those gathered in front of the city gate:22 “How long, you simpletons,
will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers relish your mocking?
How long will you fools hate knowledge?23 Come and listen to my counsel.
I’ll share my heart with you
and make you wise.24 “I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come.
I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.25 You ignored my advice
and rejected the correction I offered.26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble!
I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone,
and anguish and distress overwhelm you.28 “When they cry for help, I will not answer.
Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.29 For they hated knowledge
and chose not to fear the LORD.30 They rejected my advice
and paid no attention when I corrected them.31 Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,
choking on their own schemes.32 For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.33 But all who listen to me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.”

Proverbs 1

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

2 for attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;

3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;

4 for giving prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—

5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—

6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Warning Against Enticement

8 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

9 They will be a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.

10 My son, if sinners entice you,
do not give in to them.

11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let's lie in wait for someone's blood,
let's waylay some harmless soul;

12 let's swallow them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;

14 throw in your lot with us,
and we will share a common purse”—

15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;

16 for their feet rush into sin,
they are swift to shed blood.

17 How useless to spread a net
in full view of all the birds!

18 These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they waylay only themselves!

19 Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the lives of those who get it.

Warning Against Rejecting Wisdom

20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street,
she raises her voice in the public squares;

21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out,
in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:

22 “How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?

23 If you had responded to my rebuke,
I would have poured out my heart to you
and made my thoughts known to you.

24 But since you rejected me when I called
and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,

25 since you ignored all my advice
and would not accept my rebuke,

26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you—

27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me.

29 Since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord,

30 since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,

31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”