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, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young man:
5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;
that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:
6 to understand a proverb, and parables,
the words and riddles of the wise.

7 The fear of Yahweht is the beginning of knowledge;
but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, listen to your father’s instruction,
and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching:
9 for they will be a garland to grace your head,
and chains around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us,
Let’s lay in wait for blood;
let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
12 let’s swallow them up alive like Sheolt,
and whole, like those who go down into the pit.
13 We’ll find all valuable wealth.
We’ll fill our houses with spoil.
14 You shall cast your lot among us.
We’ll all have one purse.”
15 My son, don’t walk in the way with them.
Keep your foot from their path,
16 for their feet run to evil.
They hurry to shed blood.
17 For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird:
18 but these lay wait for their own blood.
They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain.
It takes away the life of its owners.

20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street.
She utters her voice in the public squares.
21 She calls at the head of noisy places.
At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery,
and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn at my reproof.
Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you.
I will make known my words to you.
24 Because I have called, and you have refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
25 but you have ignored all my counsel,
and wanted none of my reproof;
26 I also will laugh at your disaster.
I will mock when calamity overtakes you;
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind;
when distress and anguish come on you.
28 Then will they call on me, but I will not answer.
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;
29 because they hated knowledge,
and didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.
30 They wanted none of my counsel.
They despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,
and be filled with their own schemes.
32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them.
The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely,
and will be at ease, without 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.