Proverbs 1
1 The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.
These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
2 To know wisdom, and instruction:
for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
3 To understand the words of prudence: and to receive the instruction of doctrine, justice, and judgment, and equity:
and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
4 To give subtilty to little ones, to the young man knowledge and understanding.
To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
5 A wise man shall hear and shall be wiser: and he that understandeth, shall possess governments.
let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
6 He shall understand a parable, and the interpretation, the words of the wise, and their mysterious sayings.
by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
9 That grace may be added to thy head, and a chain of gold to thy neck.
For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners shall entice thee, consent not to them.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
11 If they shall say: Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide snares for the innocent without cause:
If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
12 Let us swallow him up alive like hell, and whole as one that goeth down into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoils.
We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
14 Cast in thy lot with us, let us all have one purse.
Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
15 My son, walk not thou with them, restrain thy foot from their paths.
my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
17 But a net is spread in vain before the eyes of them that have wings.
How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
18 And they themselves lie in wait for their own blood, and practise deceits against their own souls.
But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
19 So the wage of every covetous man destroy the souls of the possessors.
Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
20 Wisdom preacheth abroad, she uttereth her voice in the streets:
Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
21 At the head of multitudes she crieth out, in the entrance of the gates of the city she uttereth her words, saying:
in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
22 O children, how long will you love childishness, and fools covet those things which are hurtful to themselves, and the unwise hate knowledge?
“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn ye at my reproof: behold I will utter my spirit to you, and will shew you my words.
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.
24 Because I called, and you refused: I stretched out my hand, and there was none that regarded.
Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
25 You have despised all my counsel, and have neglected my reprehensions.
because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
26 I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that shall come to you which you feared.
in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
27 When sudden calamity shall fall on you, and destruction, as a tempest, shall be at hand: when tribulation and distress shall come upon you:
when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, and I will not hear: they shall rise in the morning and shall not find me:
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
29 Because they have hated instruction and received not the fear of the Lord,
For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
30 Nor consented to my counsel, but despised all my reproof.
They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and shall be filled with their own devices.
So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 The turning away of little ones shall kill them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But he that shall hear me, shall rest without terror, and shall enjoy abundance, without fear of evils.
But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
