Proverbs 1
The Reasons for Proverbs
1 The proverbs of Solomon, David’s son who was king of Israel, given2 to grasp wisdom and discipline,to understand deep thoughts,3 to acquire the discipline of wise behavior—righteousness and justice and fairness—4 to give insight to gullible people,to give knowledge and foresight to the young—5 a wise person will listen and continue to learn,and an understanding person will gain direction—6 to understand a proverb and a clever saying,the words of wise people and their riddles.7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.Stubborn fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Listen to Wisdom
8 My son,listen to your father’s discipline,and do not neglect your mother’s teachings,9 because discipline and teachingsare a graceful garland on your headand a golden chain around your neck.10 My son,if sinners lure you, do not go along.11 If they say,“Come with us.Let’s set an ambush to kill someone.Let’s hide to ambush innocent people for fun.12 We’ll swallow them alive like the grave,like those in good health who go into the pit.13 We’ll find all kinds of valuable possessions.We’ll fill our homes with stolen goods.14 Join us.We’ll split the loot equally.”15 My son,do not follow them in their way.Do not even set foot on their path,16 because they rush to do eviland hurry to shed blood.17 It does no good to spread a netwithin the sight of any bird.18 But these people set an ambush for their own murder.They go into hiding only to lose their lives.19 This is what happens to everyonewho is greedy for unjust gain.Greed takes away his life.20 Wisdom sings her song in the streets.In the public squares she raises her voice.21 At the corners of noisy streets she calls out.At the entrances to the city she speaks her words,22 “How long will you gullible people love being so gullible?How long will you mockers find joy in your mocking?How long will you fools hate knowledge?23 “Turn to me when I warn you.I will generously pour out my spirit for you.I will make my words known to you.24 “I called, and you refused to listen.I stretched out my hands to you, and no one paid attention.25 You ignored all my advice.You did not want me to warn you.26 I will laugh at your calamity.I will make fun of youwhen panic strikes you,27 when panic strikes you like a violent storm,when calamity strikes you like a wind storm,when trouble and anguish come to you.28 “They will call to me at that time, but I will not answer.They will look for me, but they will not find me,29 because they hated knowledgeand did not choose the fear of the Lord.30 They refused my advice.They despised my every warning.31 They will eat the fruit of their lifestyle.They will be stuffed with their own schemes.32 “Gullible people kill themselves because of their turning away.Fools destroy themselves because of their indifference.33 But whoever listens to me will live without worryand will be free from the dread of disaster.”
Proverbs 1
Introduction to the Book
1 The Proverbst oft Solomons son of David,t king of Israel:t
2 Tot learnt wisdoms and moral instruction,t
and to discernt wise counsel.t
3 To receivet moral instructiont in skillful living,st
int righteousness,s justice,ts and equity.s
4 To impartt shrewdnesst to the morally naive,t
andt a discerningt plant to the young person.t
5 (Let the wise alsots heart and gaint instruction,
and let the discerningt acquiret guidance!t)
6 To discernt the meaning oft a proverb and a parable,t
the sayings of the wiset and theirt riddles.t
Introduction to the Theme of the Book
7 Fearing the Lordt is the beginningt of moral knowledge,t
butt foolst despiset wisdom and instruction.s
8 Listen,t my child,t to the instructiont fromt your father,
and do not forsake the teachingt fromt your mother.
9 For they will be liket an elegantt garlandt ont your head,
and liket pendantst aroundt your neck.
Admonition to Avoid Easy but Unjust Riches
10 My child, if sinnerst try to enticet you,
do not consent!s
11 If they say, “Come with us!
We willt lie in waitt to shed blood;t
we will ambusht an innocent persont capriciously.t
12 We will swallow them alivet like Sheol,t
those full of vigort like those going down to the Pit.
13 We will seizet all kindst of precious wealth;
we will fill our houses with plunder.t
14 Join with us!t
We will all sharet equally in what we steal.”t
15 My child, do not go downt their way,t
withhold yourselft from their path;s
16 for theyt are eagert to inflict harm,t
and they hastent to shed blood.s
17 Surely it is futile to spreadt a net
in plain sight ofts any bird,t
18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood,s
they ambush their own lives!t
19 Sucht are the wayss of all who gain profit unjustly;ts
itt takes away the lifet of those who obtain it!t
Warning Against Disregarding Wisdom
20 Wisdomt calls outs in the street,
she shouts loudlyt in the plazas;s
21 at the head of the noisys streets she calls,
in the entrances of the gates in the citys she utters her words:t
22 “How long will you simpletonst love naiveté?t
How longt will mockerss delightt in mockeryt
and foolss hate knowledge?
23 If onlyt you will respondt to my rebuke,s
thent I will pourt out my thoughtst to you
andt I will maket my words known to you.
24 However,t becauset I called but you refused to listen,t
becauset I stretched out my hands but no one paid attention,
25 becauset you neglectedt all my advice,
and did not complyt with my rebuke,
26 sot I myself will laughs when disaster strikes you,t
I will mock when what you dreadt comes,
27 when what you dreadt comes like a whirlwind,s
and disaster strikes yout like a devastating storm,t
when distressing troublet comes on you.
28 Then they will call to me, but I will not answer;
they will diligently seekt me, but they will not find me.
29 Becauset they hated moral knowledge,t
and did not choose to fear the Lord,t
30 they did not comply with my advice,
they spurnedt all my rebuke.
31 Thereforet they will eat from the fruits of their way,s
and they will be stuffed fullt of their own counsel.
32 For the waywardnesst of the
simpletons will kills them,
and the careless easet of fools will destroy them.
33 But the one who listenst to me will live in security,t
and will be at easet from the dread of harm.