Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.
The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
2 They are for achieving wisdom and instruction, and to recognize sayings that bring insight.
That one may learn wisdom and instruction, And receive words of understanding;
3 They provide education in what makes sense, living right, judging correctly, and acting fairly.
That one may gain the instruction of prudence, Justice, equity, and uprightness;
4 They give discernment to the immature, knowledge and discretion to the young.
Which will give caution to the simple, To the young man wisdom and discretion;
5 Wise people will listen and gain in learning, and those who have good judgment will gain skills in guidance,
Let the wise man hear, and he will increase his knowledge, And the man of understanding will gain wise counsels;
6 understanding the proverbs and puzzles, the sayings and questions of the wise.
So as to understand a proverb and a deep maxim, The words of the wise and their dark sayings.
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; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
Hear, O my son! the instruction of thy father, And neglect not the teaching of thy mother!
9 They are a wreath of grace to decorate your head; they are pendants for your neck.
For they shall be a graceful wreath for thy head, And a chain around thy neck.
10 My son, if evil people try to tempt you, don't give into them.
My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not!
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 with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us lurk secretly for him who is innocent in vain;
Let us swallow them up alive, like the underworld, Yea, in full health, as those that go down 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 shall find all kinds of precious substance, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 Come and join us and we'll all share what we get!”
Thou shalt cast thy lot among us; We will all have one purse;”—
15 My son, don't follow their ways. Don't go in that direction with them.
My son, walk thou not in their way, Refrain thy foot from their path!
16 For they rush to do evil; they hurry to commit violence and murder.
For their feet run to evil, And make haste to shed blood.
17 There's no point in trying to lure birds into a net when they can see it.
For as the net is spread in vain Before the eyes of any bird,
18 However, these evil people hide ready to kill others, but they themselves are the victims. They're only ambushing themselves!
So they lie in wait for their own blood; They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 This is what happens to you if you try to become rich through crime—it kills you!
Such are the ways of every one greedy of unjust gain; It taketh away the life of the possessor thereof.
20 Wisdom calls out in the streets; she shouts aloud in the squares.
Wisdom crieth out in the highway; In the market-place she uttereth her voice;
21 She cries out at busy corners; she explains her message at the town gates:
At the head of the noisy streets she crieth aloud; At the entrances of the gates, throughout the city, she proclaimeth her words [[saying]]:
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, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? How long will scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, 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.
Turn ye at my reproof! Behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make known my words 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 I have called, and ye have refused, —Because I have stretched out my hand, and no one hath regarded.
25 You ignored everything I said; you wouldn't accept any of my warnings.
Because ye have rejected all my counsel, And have slighted my rebuke, —
26 So I'll laugh at you when you're in trouble; I'll mock you when you're in a panic.
I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh;
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 fear cometh upon you like a storm. And destruction overtaketh you like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon 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 will they call upon me, but I will not answer! They will seek me early, But they shall not find me!
29 Why?—because they hated knowledge, and they didn't choose to respect the Lord.
Because they have hated knowledge, And have not chosen the fear of the LORD, —
30 They're not willing to accept my advice; they despise all my warnings.
Because they would not attend to my counsel, And have despised all my reproof, —
31 So they'll have to eat the fruit of their own choices, bloated by their own devious schemes.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own devices;
32 Stupid people are killed by their rebellion; foolish people are destroyed by their lack of concern.
Yea, the turning away of the simple shall slay them, And the carelessness of fools shall destroy them.
33 But everyone who listens to me will be kept safe, and will live without worrying about problems.”
But whoso hearkeneth to me shall dwell securely, And shall not be disquieted with the fear of evil.”
