Proverbs 1
1 Proverbs of Solomon, 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;
to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
3 to receive the instruction of wisdom, righteousness and judgment, and equity;
to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—
5 He that is wise will hear, and will increase learning; and the intelligent will gain wise counsels:
that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;
6 to understand a proverb and an allegory, the words of the wise and their enigmas.
to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge: fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother;
My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
9 for they shall be a garland of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent not.
My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk secretly for the innocent 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 swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 we shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.
14 cast in thy lot among us; we will all have one purse:
You shall cast your lot amongst us. We’ll all have one purse”—
15 — my son, walk not in the way with them, keep back thy foot from their path;
my son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,
16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
17 For in vain the net is spread in the sight of anything which hath wings.
For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
18 And these lay wait for their own blood; they lurk secretly for their own lives.
but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 So are the paths of every one that is greedy of gain: it taketh away the life of its possessors.
So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.
20 Wisdom crieth without; she raiseth her voice in the broadways;
Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
21 she calleth in the chief [place] of concourse, in the entry of the gates; in the city she uttereth her words:
She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
22 How long, simple ones, will ye love simpleness, and scorners take pleasure in their scorning, and the foolish hate knowledge?
“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour forth my spirit unto you, I will make known to you my words.
Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one regarded;
Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
25 and ye have rejected all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
26 I also will laugh in your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh;
I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you,
27 when your fear cometh as sudden destruction, and your calamity cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon 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 will they call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me early, and shall not find me.
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,
29 Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Jehovah;
because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD.
30 they would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof:
They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
31 therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their way, and be filled with their own devices.
Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall cause them to perish.
For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be at rest from fear of evil.
But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”
