< Proverbs 1 >
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
3 To receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness and judgment and equity;
To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion:
To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5 That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; and that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain to wise counsels:
6 To understand a proverb, and a figure; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: [but] the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
My son, hear the instruction of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother:
9 For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
For they shall be an ornament of grace to your head, and chains about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
My son, if sinners entice you, consent you not.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privately for the innocent without cause:
12 Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol )
Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: (Sheol )
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil;
We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
14 Thou shalt cast thy lot among us; we will all have one purse:
Cast in your lot among us; let us all have one purse:
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
My son, walk not you in the way with them; refrain your foot from their path:
16 For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
17 For in vain is the net spread, in the eyes of any bird:
Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
18 And these lay wait for their own blood, they lurk privily for their own lives.
And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privately for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; it taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which takes away the life of the owners thereof.
20 Wisdom crieth aloud in the street; she uttereth her voice in the broad places;
Wisdom cries without; she utters her voice in the streets:
21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse; at the entering in of the gates, in the city, she uttereth her words:
She cries in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she utters her words, saying,
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and scorners delight them in scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit to you, I will make known my words to you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Because I have called, and you refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
But you have set at nothing all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh in [the day of] your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes;
27 When your fear cometh as a storm, and your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you.
When your fear comes as desolation, and your destruction comes as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish comes on you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me diligently, but they shall not find me:
Then shall they call on me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
30 They would none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof:
They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.
But whoever listens to me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.