Proverbs 1
1 The wise sayings of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.
The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To have knowledge of wise teaching; to be clear about the words of reason:
To know wisdom and instruction, to discern the words of understanding.
3 To be trained in the ways of wisdom, in righteousness and judging truly and straight behaviour:
To receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity.
4 To make the simple-minded sharp, and to give the young man knowledge, and serious purpose:
To give shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to the young man.
5 (The wise man, hearing, will get greater learning, and the acts of the man of good sense will be wisely guided: )
A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will attain to sound counsel.
6 To get the sense of wise sayings and secrets, and of the words of the wise and their dark sayings.
To understand a proverb, and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of the Lord is the start of knowledge: but the foolish have no use for wisdom and teaching.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, give ear to the training of your father, and do not give up the teaching of your mother:
My son, listen to your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching:
9 For they will be a crown of grace for your head, and chain-ornaments about your neck.
for they will be a garland to grace your head, and a necklace around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners would take you out of the right way, do not go with them.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
11 If they say, Come with us; let us make designs against the good, waiting secretly for the upright, without cause;
If they say, "Come with us, Let's lie in wait for blood; let's lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
12 Let us overcome them living, like the underworld, and in their strength, as those who go down to death; (Sheol h7585)
let's swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 Goods of great price will be ours, our houses will be full of wealth;
We'll find all valuable wealth. We'll fill our houses with spoil.
14 Take your chance with us, and we will all have one money-bag:
Throw in your lot with us. We'll all have one purse."
15 My son, do not go with them; keep your feet from their ways:
My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from their path,
16 For their feet are running after evil, and they are quick to take a man's life.
for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
17 Truly, to no purpose is the net stretched out before the eyes of the bird:
For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird:
18 And they are secretly waiting for their blood and making ready destruction for themselves.
but these lie in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 Such is the fate of everyone who goes in search of profit; it takes away the life of its owners.
So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.
20 Wisdom is crying out in the street; her voice is loud in the open places;
Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
21 Her words are sounding in the meeting-places, and in the doorways of the town:
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 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, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and 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.
Turn at my reproof. Look, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
24 Because your ears were shut to my voice; no one gave attention to my out-stretched hand;
Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
25 You were not controlled by my guiding, and would have nothing to do with my sharp words:
but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
26 So in the day of your trouble I will be laughing; I will make sport of your fear;
I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you;
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 calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come on you.
28 Then I will give no answer to their cries; searching for me early, they will not see me:
Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;
29 For they were haters of knowledge, and did not give their hearts to the fear of the Lord:
because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD.
30 They had no desire for my teaching, and my words of protest were as nothing to them.
They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
31 So the fruit of their way will be their food, and with the designs of their hearts they will be made full.
Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own 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.
For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever gives ear to me will take his rest safely, living in peace without fear of evil.
But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm."
