Proverbs 1
1 THE PROVERBS of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
These are the (proverbs/wise sayings) that come from Solomon, the King of Israel, who was the son of [King] David.
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to comprehend the words of understanding;
(These proverbs [PRS] can teach people/By studying these proverbs, people can learn) how to be wise and how to obey what these proverbs teach them. They will [also] help people to understand which teachings are wise.
3 To receive the discipline of wisdom, justice, and right, and equity;
These proverbs [PRS] will teach you how to discipline/control yourselves, how to conduct your lives, and how to do what is right and just [DOU].
4 To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion;
They will show [people] who do not [yet] know much how to do things that are smart. They will show young people how to become wise and how to make good plans/decisions.
5 That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and the man of understanding may attain unto wise counsels;
Those who are wise should also pay attention [to these proverbs], in order to become more wise, and those who understand [these teachings] will receive good advice/guidance.
6 To understand a proverb, and a figure; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Then they will be able to understand the meaning of proverbs and parables/metaphors, these wise sayings and (riddles/sayings that are difficult to understand).
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and discipline.
If [you want to be] wise, you must begin by revering Yahweh. [Only] foolish people despise wisdom and good advice/discipline.
8 Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother;
My son, pay attention to what [I], your father, am teaching you. And do not reject what your mother teaches you.
9 For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
What we teach you [will make you respected like having] a lovely turban around your head and [like] a [beautiful] necklace to put around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
My son, if sinners tempt/entice you [to do what is wrong], say “No” to them.
11 If they say: 'Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us lurk for the innocent without cause;
They may say, “Come with us! Join us! We will hide and then kill [MTY] someone [who passes by]. We will ambush some helpless/innocent people.
12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
We will kill them [HYP] and get rid of them completely, [just] like [people who are buried in] graves are gone forever. While they are in good health, we will send them to the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil;
And we will seize all the things that they own. We will fill our houses with these things!
14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse' —
[So], come with us! Join our group! We will share with you the things that we steal.”
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them, restrain thy foot from their path;
My son, do not accompany them! Do not walk on the roads with them!
16 For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
They rush to do evil deeds! They hurry to murder [MTY] people.
17 For in vain the net is spread in the eyes of any bird;
It is useless to put out a (trap/net to catch a bird) because when a bird sees it, [it stays away from it].
18 And these lie in wait for their own blood, they lurk for their own lives.
But those wicked people are not like the birds, [because they do not realize] that when they prepare to ambush someone to kill him, they will be killed themselves!
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; it taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
That is what happens to people who eagerly try to get things [by violently attacking others]. They will only destroy themselves!
20 Wisdom crieth aloud in the streets, she uttereth her voice in the broad places;
Wisdom [PRS] shouts to people in the streets, and calls out to people in the (plazas/town squares).
21 She calleth at the head of the noisy streets, at the entrances of the gates, in the city, she uttereth her words:
Wisdom calls out in noisy places, and at the entrances to cities.
22 'How long, ye thoughtless, will ye love thoughtlessness? And how long will scorners delight them in scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
[Wisdom says], “How long will you stupid people continue to enjoy doing foolish things [RHQ]? How long will you people who ridicule God enjoy doing that [RHQ]? How long will you foolish people refuse to know [what things are right] [RHQ]?
23 Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
If you pay attention to me when I rebuke you, I will tell you what I am thinking in my inner being; I will give you some good advice.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man attended,
But when I called to you, you refused to listen. I beckoned to you to come to me, but you ignored me.
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof;
I tried to advise you, but you refused to listen to me. I tried to correct you, but you rejected what I told you.
26 I also, in your calamity, will laugh, I will mock when your dread cometh;
So [now], when you are experiencing troubles/disasters, I will laugh at you. When things happen that cause you to be afraid, I will make fun of you.
27 When your dread cometh as a storm, and your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; when trouble and distress come upon you.
When calamities strike you like a big storm, when disasters hit you like a violent wind, when [all kinds of things] distress you and give you trouble, [I will ridicule you!]
28 Then will they call me, but I will not answer, they will seek me earnestly, but they shall not find me.
[Wisdom also says], “When foolish people call to me [to help them], I will not answer them. They will search for me diligently/everywhere, but they will not find me.
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD;
They refused to know [what things are right], and they decided not to revere Yahweh.
30 They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof.
They would not accept my advice, and they did not pay attention when I tried to correct them.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
So they will endure what will result [MET, DOU] from the evil way they have lived/behaved and the evil things they have planned to do.
32 For the waywardness of the thoughtless shall slay them, and the confidence of fools shall destroy them.
Those who turn away from me are stupid/foolish; they will die because of doing that.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.'
But those who pay attention to me will live peacefully and safely, and they will not be afraid that something will harm them.”
