Proverbs 1
1 Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel,
2 For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,
in order to know wisdom and discipline,
3 For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,
to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity,
4 For giving to simple ones—prudence, To a youth—knowledge and discretion.
so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents.
5 (The wise hear and increase learning, And the intelligent obtain counsels.)
By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments.
6 For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.
He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas.
7 Fear of YHWH [is the] beginning of knowledge, Fools have despised wisdom and instruction!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine.
8 Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, And do not leave the law of your mother,
Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother,
9 For they [are] a graceful wreath to your head, And chains to your neck.
so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not be willing.
My son, if sinners should entice you, do not consent to them.
11 If they say, “Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
If they should say: “Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause.
Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 We find every precious substance, We fill our houses [with] spoil,
We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils.
14 You cast your lot among us, One purse is—to all of us.”
Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all.”
15 My son! Do not go in the way with them, Withhold your foot from their path,
My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths.
16 For their feet run to evil, And they hurry to shed blood.
For their feet rush to evil, and they hurry to shed blood.
17 Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.
But a net is thrown in vain before the eyes of those who have wings.
18 And they lay wait for their own blood, They watch secretly for their own lives.
Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls.
19 So [are] the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, It takes the life of its owners.
Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess.
20 Wisdom cries aloud in an out-place, She gives forth her voice in broad places,
Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets.
21 She calls at the head of the multitudes, In the openings of the gates, In the city she says her sayings:
She cries out at the head of crowds; at the entrance of the gates of the city, she offers her words, saying:
22 “Until when, you simple, do you love simplicity? And have scorners desired their scorning? And do fools hate knowledge?
“Little ones, how long will you choose to be childish, and how long will the foolish desire what is harmful to themselves, and how long will the imprudent hate knowledge?
23 Turn back at my reproof, behold, I pour forth my spirit to you, I make known my words with you.
Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you.
24 Because I have called, and you refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,
For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched.
25 And you slight all my counsel, And you have not desired my reproof.
You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes.
26 I also laugh in your calamity, I deride when your fear comes,
Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome you.
27 When your fear comes as destruction, And your calamity comes as a windstorm, When adversity and distress come on you.
When sudden calamity rushes upon you, and your demise advances like a tempest, when tribulation and anguish overcome you,
28 Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and do not find me.
then they will call to me, and I will not heed, they will arise in the morning, and not find me.
29 Because that they have hated knowledge, And have not chosen the fear of YHWH.
For they held hatred for discipline, and they would not accept the fear of the Lord;
30 They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,
they would not consent to my counsel, but they detracted from all of my corrections.
31 And they eat of the fruit of their way, And they are filled from their own counsels.
Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels.
32 For the turning of the simple slays them, And the security of the foolish destroys them.
The loathing of the little ones shall destroy them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall perish them.
33 And whoever is listening to me dwells confidently, And [is] quiet from fear of evil!”
But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils.”
