Proverbs 1
1 The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, who reigned in Israel;
These are the (proverbs/wise sayings) that come from Solomon, the King of Israel, who was the son of [King] David.
2 to know wisdom and instruction, and to perceive words of understanding;
(These proverbs [PRS] can teach people/By studying these proverbs, people can learn) how to be wise and how to obey what these proverbs teach them. They will [also] help people to understand which teachings are wise.
3 to receive also hard saying, and to understand true justice, and [how] to direct judgement;
These proverbs [PRS] will teach you how to discipline/control yourselves, how to conduct your lives, and how to do what is right and just [DOU].
4 that he might give subtlety to the simple, and to the young man discernment and understanding.
They will show [people] who do not [yet] know much how to do things that are smart. They will show young people how to become wise and how to make good plans/decisions.
5 For by the hearing of these a wise man will be wiser, and man of understanding will gain direction;
Those who are wise should also pay attention [to these proverbs], in order to become more wise, and those who understand [these teachings] will receive good advice/guidance.
6 and will understand a parable, and a dark speech; the saying of the wise also, and riddles.
Then they will be able to understand the meaning of proverbs and parables/metaphors, these wise sayings and (riddles/sayings that are difficult to understand).
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and [there is] good understanding to all that practise it: and piety towards God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will set at nothing wisdom and instruction.
If [you want to be] wise, you must begin by revering Yahweh. [Only] foolish people despise wisdom and good advice/discipline.
8 Hear, [my] son, the instruction of your father, and reject not the rules of your mother.
My son, pay attention to what [I], your father, am teaching you. And do not reject what your mother teaches you.
9 For you shall receive for your head a crown of graces, and a chain of gold round your neck.
What we teach you [will make you respected like having] a lovely turban around your head and [like] a [beautiful] necklace to put around your neck.
10 [My] son, let not ungodly men lead you astray, neither consent you [to them].
My son, if sinners tempt/entice you [to do what is wrong], say “No” to them.
11 If they should exhort you, saying, Come with us, partake in blood, and let us unjustly hide the just man in the earth:
They may say, “Come with us! Join us! We will hide and then kill [MTY] someone [who passes by]. We will ambush some helpless/innocent people.
12 and let us swallow him alive, as Hades [would], and remove the memorial of him from the earth: (Sheol h7585)
We will kill them [HYP] and get rid of them completely, [just] like [people who are buried in] graves are gone forever. While they are in good health, we will send them to the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
13 let us seize on his valuable property, and let us fill our houses with spoils:
And we will seize all the things that they own. We will fill our houses with these things!
14 but do you cast in your lot with us, and let us all provide a common purse, and let us have one pouch:
[So], come with us! Join our group! We will share with you the things that we steal.”
15 go not in the way with them, but turn aside your foot from their paths:
My son, do not accompany them! Do not walk on the roads with them!
16 [For their feet run to do evil, and are swift to shed blood. ]
They rush to do evil deeds! They hurry to murder [MTY] people.
17 for nets are not without cause spread for birds.
It is useless to put out a (trap/net to catch a bird) because when a bird sees it, [it stays away from it].
18 For they that are concerned in murder store up evils for themselves; and the overthrow of transgressors is evil.
But those wicked people are not like the birds, [because they do not realize] that when they prepare to ambush someone to kill him, they will be killed themselves!
19 These are the ways of all that perform lawless deeds; for by ungodliness they destroy their own life.
That is what happens to people who eagerly try to get things [by violently attacking others]. They will only destroy themselves!
20 Wisdom sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly.
Wisdom [PRS] shouts to people in the streets, and calls out to people in the (plazas/town squares).
21 And she makes proclamation on the top of the walls, and sits by the gates of princes; and at the gates of the city boldly says,
Wisdom calls out in noisy places, and at the entrances to cities.
22 So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and are become subject to reproofs.
[Wisdom says], “How long will you stupid people continue to enjoy doing foolish things [RHQ]? How long will you people who ridicule God enjoy doing that [RHQ]? How long will you foolish people refuse to know [what things are right] [RHQ]?
23 Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech.
If you pay attention to me when I rebuke you, I will tell you what I am thinking in my inner being; I will give you some good advice.
24 Since I called, and you did not listen; and I spoke at length, and you gave no heed;
But when I called to you, you refused to listen. I beckoned to you to come to me, but you ignored me.
25 but you set at nothing my counsels, and disregarded my reproofs;
I tried to advise you, but you refused to listen to me. I tried to correct you, but you rejected what I told you.
26 therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against [you] when ruin comes upon you:
So [now], when you are experiencing troubles/disasters, I will laugh at you. When things happen that cause you to be afraid, I will make fun of you.
27 yes when dismay suddenly comes upon you, and [your] overthrow shall arrive like a tempest; and when tribulation and distress shall come upon you, or when ruin shall come upon you.
When calamities strike you like a big storm, when disasters hit you like a violent wind, when [all kinds of things] distress you and give you trouble, [I will ridicule you!]
28 For it shall be that when you call upon me, I will not listen to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find [me].
[Wisdom also says], “When foolish people call to me [to help them], I will not answer them. They will search for me diligently/everywhere, but they will not find me.
29 For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord:
They refused to know [what things are right], and they decided not to revere Yahweh.
30 neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs.
They would not accept my advice, and they did not pay attention when I tried to correct them.
31 Therefore shall they eat the fruits of their own way, and shall be filled with their own ungodliness.
So they will endure what will result [MET, DOU] from the evil way they have lived/behaved and the evil things they have planned to do.
32 For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly.
Those who turn away from me are stupid/foolish; they will die because of doing that.
33 But he that hearkens to me shall dwell in confidence, and shall rest securely from all evil.
But those who pay attention to me will live peacefully and safely, and they will not be afraid that something will harm them.”
