Proverbs 1
1 The wise sayings of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.
The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.
2 To have knowledge of wise teaching; to be clear about the words of reason:
They are for achieving wisdom and instruction, and to recognize sayings that bring insight.
3 To be trained in the ways of wisdom, in righteousness and judging truly and straight behaviour:
They provide education in what makes sense, living right, judging correctly, and acting fairly.
4 To make the simple-minded sharp, and to give the young man knowledge, and serious purpose:
They give discernment to the immature, knowledge and discretion to the young.
5 (The wise man, hearing, will get greater learning, and the acts of the man of good sense will be wisely guided: )
Wise people will listen and gain in learning, and those who have good judgment will gain skills in guidance,
6 To get the sense of wise sayings and secrets, and of the words of the wise and their dark sayings.
understanding the proverbs and puzzles, the sayings and questions of the wise.
7 The fear of the Lord is the start of knowledge: but the foolish have no use for wisdom and teaching.
Honoring the Lord is where true knowledge begins, but fools treat wisdom and good advice with contempt.
8 My son, give ear to the training of your father, and do not give up the teaching of your mother:
My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
9 For they will be a crown of grace for your head, and chain-ornaments about your neck.
They are a wreath of grace to decorate your head; they are pendants for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners would take you out of the right way, do not go with them.
My son, if evil people try to tempt you, don't give into them.
11 If they say, Come with us; let us make designs against the good, waiting secretly for the upright, without cause;
They may tell you, “Come with us. Let's go and hide, ready to kill someone. Let's ambush someone for fun!
12 Let us overcome them living, like the underworld, and in their strength, as those who go down to death; (Sheol h7585)
Let's bury them alive; let's put them in the grave while they're still healthy! (Sheol h7585)
13 Goods of great price will be ours, our houses will be full of wealth;
We'll take from them all kinds of valuable things and fill our homes with the stuff we steal!
14 Take your chance with us, and we will all have one money-bag:
Come and join us and we'll all share what we get!”
15 My son, do not go with them; keep your feet from their ways:
My son, don't follow their ways. Don't go in that direction with them.
16 For their feet are running after evil, and they are quick to take a man's life.
For they rush to do evil; they hurry to commit violence and murder.
17 Truly, to no purpose is the net stretched out before the eyes of the bird:
There's no point in trying to lure birds into a net when they can see it.
18 And they are secretly waiting for their blood and making ready destruction for themselves.
However, these evil people hide ready to kill others, but they themselves are the victims. They're only ambushing themselves!
19 Such is the fate of everyone who goes in search of profit; it takes away the life of its owners.
This is what happens to you if you try to become rich through crime—it kills you!
20 Wisdom is crying out in the street; her voice is loud in the open places;
Wisdom calls out in the streets; she shouts aloud in the squares.
21 Her words are sounding in the meeting-places, and in the doorways of the town:
She cries out at busy corners; she explains her message at the town gates:
22 How long, you simple ones, will foolish things be dear to you? and pride a delight to the haters of authority? how long will the foolish go on hating knowledge?
“How long will you stupid people love stupidity? How long will scornful people enjoy their mocking? How long will fools hate knowledge?
23 Be turned again by my sharp words: see, I will send the flow of my spirit on you, and make my words clear to you.
Pay attention to my warnings, and I'll pour out my deepest thoughts to you—I'll explain what I know to you.
24 Because your ears were shut to my voice; no one gave attention to my out-stretched hand;
For I have called you, but you refused to listen; I reached out my hand to you, but you didn't care.
25 You were not controlled by my guiding, and would have nothing to do with my sharp words:
You ignored everything I said; you wouldn't accept any of my warnings.
26 So in the day of your trouble I will be laughing; I will make sport of your fear;
So I'll laugh at you when you're in trouble; I'll mock you when you're in a panic.
27 When your fear comes on you like a storm, and your trouble like a rushing wind; when pain and sorrow come on you.
When panic rains down on you like a storm, when trouble hits you like a whirlwind, when sorrow and pain come on you,
28 Then I will give no answer to their cries; searching for me early, they will not see me:
then you'll call out to me for help, but I won't answer; you'll search hard for me, but won't find me.
29 For they were haters of knowledge, and did not give their hearts to the fear of the Lord:
Why?—because they hated knowledge, and they didn't choose to respect the Lord.
30 They had no desire for my teaching, and my words of protest were as nothing to them.
They're not willing to accept my advice; they despise all my warnings.
31 So the fruit of their way will be their food, and with the designs of their hearts they will be made full.
So they'll have to eat the fruit of their own choices, bloated by their own devious schemes.
32 For the turning back of the simple from teaching will be the cause of their death, and the peace of the foolish will be their destruction.
Stupid people are killed by their rebellion; foolish people are destroyed by their lack of concern.
33 But whoever gives ear to me will take his rest safely, living in peace without fear of evil.
But everyone who listens to me will be kept safe, and will live without worrying about problems.”
