Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon, 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 For the knowledge of wisdom and correction, for discerning the sayings of intelligence;
(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 For receiving the correction of prudence, righteousness and justice, 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 For giving To the simple shrewdness, 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 A wise man, will hear, and will increase learning, and a, discreet man, wise counsels, will acquire,
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 By gaining discernment of proverb, and satire, 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 reverence of Yahweh, is the beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and correction, the foolish have despised.
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 correction of thy father, and do not reject the instruction 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, a wreath of beauty, shall they be to thy head, and chains of ornament, to 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, do not consent.
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 watch in secret for him who is needlessly innocent;
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 engulf them, like hades, alive, While in health, like them who are going down to 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 All costly substance, shall we find, 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 Thy lot, shalt thou cast into our midst, One purse, shall there be, for us all.
[So], come with us! Join our group! We will share with you the things that we steal.”
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path.
My son, do not accompany them! Do not walk on the roads with them!
16 For, their feet, to mischief, do run, and haste to the shedding of blood.
They rush to do evil deeds! They hurry to murder [MTY] people.
17 Surely, in vain, is spread the net, in the sight of aught that hath wings!
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 Yet, they, for their own blood, lie in wait, They watch in secret for their own life.
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 Such are the ways of every one that graspeth with greed, The life of the owners thereof, it taketh away!
That is what happens to people who eagerly try to get things [by violently attacking others]. They will only destroy themselves!
20 Wisdom, in the open place, soundeth forth, in the broadways, she raiseth her voice;
Wisdom [PRS] shouts to people in the streets, and calls out to people in the (plazas/town squares).
21 At the head of bustling streets, she crieth aloud, —at the openings of the gates in the city—her sayings, she doth utter: —
Wisdom calls out in noisy places, and at the entrances to cities.
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and, scoffers, in scoffing, delight them? and, dullards, 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 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 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 called, and ye refused, I stretched out my hand, and no one regarded;
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 dismissed all my counsel, and, to my rebuke, would not yield,
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, at your calamity, will laugh, I will mock, when cometh your dread;
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 cometh as a crashing your dread, and, your calamity, as a storm-wind, overtaketh, when there come upon you, distress and anguish.
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 diligently, but 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 Because they hated knowledge, and, the reverence of Yahweh, did not choose;
They refused to know [what things are right], and they decided not to revere Yahweh.
30 Consented not to my counsel, disdained all my rebuke,
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, with their own counsels, be filled.
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 turning away of the simple, will slay them, —and, the carelessness of dullards, will destroy them.
Those who turn away from me are stupid/foolish; they will die because of doing that.
33 Whereas, he that hearkeneth unto me, shall dwell safely, and be at rest, without dread of misfortune.
But those who pay attention to me will live peacefully and safely, and they will not be afraid that something will harm them.”
