< Proverbs 1 >

1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, King of Israel:
These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
2 For the knowledge of wisdom and correction, for discerning the sayings of intelligence;
for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
3 For receiving the correction of prudence, righteousness and justice, and equity;
and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
4 For giving To the simple shrewdness, To the young man, knowledge and discretion.
To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
5 A wise man, will hear, and will increase learning, and a, discreet man, wise counsels, will acquire,
let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
6 By gaining discernment of proverb, and satire, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 The reverence of Yahweh, is the beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and correction, the foolish have despised.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8 Hear, my son, the correction of thy father, and do not reject the instruction of thy mother;
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
9 For, a wreath of beauty, shall they be to thy head, and chains of ornament, to thy neck.
For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, do not consent.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
11 If they say—Come with us, —Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us watch in secret for him who is needlessly innocent;
If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
12 Let us engulf them, like hades, alive, While in health, like them who are going down to the pit; (Sheol h7585)
let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 All costly substance, shall we find, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
14 Thy lot, shalt thou cast into our midst, One purse, shall there be, for us all.
Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path.
my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
16 For, their feet, to mischief, do run, and haste to the shedding of blood.
For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
17 Surely, in vain, is spread the net, in the sight of aught that hath wings!
How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
18 Yet, they, for their own blood, lie in wait, They watch in secret for their own life.
But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
19 Such are the ways of every one that graspeth with greed, The life of the owners thereof, it taketh away!
Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
20 Wisdom, in the open place, soundeth forth, in the broadways, she raiseth her voice;
Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
21 At the head of bustling streets, she crieth aloud, —at the openings of the gates in the city—her sayings, she doth utter: —
in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and, scoffers, in scoffing, delight them? and, dullards, 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 Will ye turn, at my reproof? Lo! I will pour out to you my spirit, I will make known my words to you.
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 called, and ye refused, I stretched out my hand, and no one regarded;
Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
25 But ye dismissed all my counsel, and, to my rebuke, would not yield,
because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
26 I also, at your calamity, will laugh, I will mock, when cometh your dread;
in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
27 When cometh as a crashing your dread, and, your calamity, as a storm-wind, overtaketh, when there come upon you, distress and anguish.
when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
28 Then, will they call me, but I will not answer, they will seek me diligently, but shall not find 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, the reverence of Yahweh, did not choose;
For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
30 Consented not to my counsel, disdained all my rebuke,
They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and, with their own counsels, be filled.
So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 For, the turning away of the simple, will slay them, —and, the carelessness of dullards, will destroy them.
For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 Whereas, he that hearkeneth unto me, shall dwell safely, and be at rest, without dread of misfortune.
But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”

< Proverbs 1 >