Proverbs 1
The Purpose of Proverbs
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 For learning what wisdom and discipline are;
for understanding insightful sayings;
3 for receiving wise instruction
[in] righteousness, justice, and integrity;
4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,
knowledge and discretion to a young man-
5 a wise man will listen and increase his learning,
and a discerning man will obtain guidance-
6 for understanding a proverb or a parable,
the words of the wise, and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Avoid the Path of the Violent
8 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction,
and don't reject your mother's teaching,
9 for they will be a garland of grace on your head
and a [gold] chain around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
don't be persuaded.
11 If they say-"Come with us!
Let's set an ambush and kill someone.
Let's attack some innocent person just for fun!
12 Let's swallow them alive, like Sheol,
still healthy as they go down to the Pit.
13 We'll find all kinds of valuable property
and fill our houses with plunder.
14 Throw in your lot with us,
and we'll all share our money"-
15 my son, don't travel that road with them
or set foot on their path,
16 because their feet run toward trouble
and they hurry to commit murder.
17 It is foolish to spread a net
where any bird can see it,
18 but they set an ambush to kill themselves;
they attack their own lives.
19 Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly;
it takes the lives of those who receive it.
Wisdom's Plea
20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she raises her voice in the public squares.
21 She cries out above the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
22 "How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?
[How long] will [you] mockers enjoy mocking
and [you] fools hate knowledge?
23 If you respond to my warning,
then I will pour out my spirit on you
and teach you my words.
24 Since I called out and you refused,
extended my hand and no one paid attention,
25 since you neglected all my counsel
and did not accept my correction,
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won't answer;
they will search for me, but won't find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge,
didn't choose to fear the Lord,
30 were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,
31 they will eat the fruit of their way
and be glutted with their own schemes.
32 For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be free from the fear of danger."
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.