Proverbs 1
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
2 for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
That one may learn wisdom and instruction, And receive words of understanding;
3 and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
That one may gain the instruction of prudence, Justice, equity, and uprightness;
4 To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
Which will give caution to the simple, To the young man wisdom and discretion;
5 let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
Let the wise man hear, and he will increase his knowledge, And the man of understanding will gain wise counsels;
6 by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings 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 fools despise wisdom and discipline.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
Hear, O my son! the instruction of thy father, And neglect not the teaching of thy mother!
9 For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant 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 yield to them.
My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not!
11 If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush 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 us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. (Sheol h7585)
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 manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
We shall find all kinds of precious substance, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
Thou shalt cast thy lot among us; We will all have one purse;”—
15 my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
My son, walk thou not in their way, Refrain thy foot from their path!
16 For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
For their feet run to evil, And make haste to shed blood.
17 How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
For as the net is spread in vain Before the eyes of any bird,
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
So they lie in wait for their own blood; They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
Such are the ways of every one greedy of unjust gain; It taketh away the life of the possessor thereof.
20 Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
Wisdom crieth out in the highway; In the market-place she uttereth her voice;
21 in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
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, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn 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 If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known 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 you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
“Because I have called, and ye have refused, —Because I have stretched out my hand, and no one hath regarded.
25 because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
Because ye have rejected all my counsel, And have slighted my rebuke, —
26 in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm 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 earnestly seek me, but 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 For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
Because they have hated knowledge, And have not chosen the fear of the LORD, —
30 They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
Because they would not attend to my counsel, And have despised all my reproof, —
31 So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own devices;
32 For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency 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 in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
But whoso hearkeneth to me shall dwell securely, And shall not be disquieted with the fear of evil.”
