Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.
These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
2 They are for achieving wisdom and instruction, and to recognize sayings that bring insight.
for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
3 They provide education in what makes sense, living right, judging correctly, and acting fairly.
and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
4 They give discernment to the immature, knowledge and discretion to the young.
To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
5 Wise people will listen and gain in learning, and those who have good judgment will gain skills in guidance,
let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
6 understanding the proverbs and puzzles, the sayings and questions of the wise.
by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 Honoring the Lord is where true knowledge begins, but fools treat wisdom and good advice with contempt.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8 My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
9 They are a wreath of grace to decorate your head; they are pendants for your neck.
For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
10 My son, if evil people try to tempt you, don't give into them.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
11 They may tell you, “Come with us. Let's go and hide, ready to kill someone. Let's ambush someone for fun!
If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 We'll take from them all kinds of valuable things and fill our homes with the stuff we steal!
We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
14 Come and join us and we'll all share what we get!”
Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
15 My son, don't follow their ways. Don't go in that direction with them.
my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
16 For they rush to do evil; they hurry to commit violence and murder.
For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
17 There's no point in trying to lure birds into a net when they can see it.
How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
18 However, these evil people hide ready to kill others, but they themselves are the victims. They're only ambushing themselves!
But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
19 This is what happens to you if you try to become rich through crime—it kills you!
Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
20 Wisdom calls out in the streets; she shouts aloud in the squares.
Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
21 She cries out at busy corners; she explains her message at the town gates:
in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you stupid people love stupidity? How long will scornful people enjoy their mocking? How long will fools 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 Pay attention to my warnings, and I'll pour out my deepest thoughts to you—I'll explain what I know to you.
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 For I have called you, but you refused to listen; I reached out my hand to you, but you didn't care.
Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
25 You ignored everything I said; you wouldn't accept any of my warnings.
because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
26 So I'll laugh at you when you're in trouble; I'll mock you when you're in a panic.
in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
27 When panic rains down on you like a storm, when trouble hits you like a whirlwind, when sorrow and pain come on you,
when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
28 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.
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
29 Why?—because they hated knowledge, and they didn't choose to respect the Lord.
For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
30 They're not willing to accept my advice; they despise all my warnings.
They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
31 So they'll have to eat the fruit of their own choices, bloated by their own devious schemes.
So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 Stupid people are killed by their rebellion; foolish people are destroyed by their lack of concern.
For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But everyone who listens to me will be kept safe, and will live without worrying about problems.”
But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
