Proverbs 1
1 The Parables of Salomon the sonne of Dauid King of Israel,
These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
2 To knowe wisdome, and instruction, to vnderstand ye wordes of knowledge,
for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
3 To receiue instruction to do wisely, by iustice and iudgement and equitie,
and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
4 To giue vnto the simple, sharpenesse of wit, and to the childe knowledge and discretion.
To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
5 A wise man shall heare and increase in learning, and a man of vnderstanding shall attayne vnto wise counsels,
let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
6 To vnderstand a parable, and the interpretation, the wordes of ye wise, and their darke sayings.
by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 The feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fooles despise wisedome and instruction.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8 My sonne, heare thy fathers instruction, and forsake not thy mothers teaching.
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
9 For they shalbe a comely ornament vnto thine head, and as chaines for thy necke.
For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
10 My sonne, if sinners doe intise thee, consent thou not.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
11 If they say, Come with vs, we will lay waite for blood, and lie priuilie for the innocent without a cause:
If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
12 We wil swallow them vp aliue like a graue euen whole, as those that goe downe 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 finde all precious riches, and fill our houses with spoyle:
We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
14 Cast in thy lot among vs: we will all haue one purse:
Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
15 My sonne, walke not thou in the way with them: refraine thy foote from their path.
my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
16 For their feete runne to euill, and make haste to shed blood.
For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
17 Certainely as without cause the net is spred before the eyes of all that hath wing:
How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
18 So they lay waite for blood and lie priuily for their liues.
But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
19 Such are the wayes of euery one that is greedy of gaine: he would take away the life of the owners thereof.
Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
20 Wisdome cryeth without: she vttereth her voyce in the streetes.
Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
21 She calleth in the hye streete, among the prease in the entrings of the gates, and vttereth her wordes in the citie, saying,
in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
22 O ye foolish, howe long will ye loue foolishnes? and the scornefull take their pleasure in scorning, and the fooles 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 (Turne you at my correction: loe, I will powre out my mind vnto you, and make you vnderstand my wordes)
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 haue called, and ye refused: I haue stretched out mine hand, and none woulde regarde.
Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
25 But ye haue despised all my counsell, and would none of my correction.
because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
26 I will also laugh at your destruction, and mocke, when your feare commeth.
in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
27 Whe your feare cometh like sudden desolation, and your destruction shall come like a whirle wind: whe affliction and anguish shall come vpon 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 vpon me, but I will not answere: they shall seeke me early, but they shall not finde 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 hated knowledge, and did not chuse the feare of the Lord.
For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
30 They would none of my counsell, but despised all my correction.
They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eate of ye fruite of their owne way, and be filled with their owne deuises.
So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 For ease slaieth the foolish, and the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them.
For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But he that obeyeth me, shall dwell safely, and be quiet from feare of euill.
But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
