Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
2 to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
That one may learn wisdom and instruction, And receive words of understanding;
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
That one may gain the instruction of prudence, Justice, equity, and uprightness;
4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—
Which will give caution to the simple, To the young man wisdom and discretion;
5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;
Let the wise man hear, and he will increase his knowledge, And the man of understanding will gain wise counsels;
6 to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
So as to understand a proverb and a deep maxim, The words of the wise and their dark sayings.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
Hear, O my son! the instruction of thy father, And neglect not the teaching of thy mother!
9 for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.
For they shall be a graceful wreath for thy head, And a chain around thy neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not!
11 If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us lurk secretly for him who is innocent in vain;
12 Let's swallow them up alive like Sheol (Sheol h7585), and whole, like those who go down into the pit.
Let us swallow them up alive, like the underworld, Yea, in full health, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
13 We will find all valuable wealth. We will fill our houses with plunder.
We shall find all kinds of precious substance, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 You shall cast your lot among us. We will all have one purse”—
Thou shalt cast thy lot among us; We will all have one purse;”—
15 my son, do not walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,
My son, walk thou not in their way, Refrain thy foot from their path!
16 for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
For their feet run to evil, And make haste to shed blood.
17 For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
For as the net is spread in vain Before the eyes of any bird,
18 but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
So they lie in 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.
Such are the ways of every one greedy of unjust gain; It taketh away the life of the possessor thereof.
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
Wisdom crieth out in the highway; In the market-place she uttereth her voice;
21 She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
At the head of the noisy streets she crieth aloud; At the entrances of the gates, throughout the city, she proclaimeth her words [[saying]]:
22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? How long will scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, 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.
Turn ye at my reproof! Behold, I will pour out my spirit to 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;
“Because I have called, and ye have refused, —Because I have stretched out my hand, and no one hath regarded.
25 but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
Because ye have rejected all my counsel, And have slighted my rebuke, —
26 I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you,
I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you.
When your fear cometh upon you like a storm. And destruction overtaketh you like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,
Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer! They will seek me early, But they shall not find me!
29 because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD.
Because they have hated knowledge, And have not chosen the fear of the LORD, —
30 They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
Because they would not attend to my counsel, And have despised all my reproof, —
31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own devices;
32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
Yea, the turning away of the simple shall slay them, And the carelessness of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”
But whoso hearkeneth to me shall dwell securely, And shall not be disquieted with the fear of evil.”
