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

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.