Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, the 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 These proverbs are to teach wisdom and instruction, to teach words of insight,
(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 that you may receive instruction in order to live by doing what is right, just, and fair.
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 These proverbs are also to give wisdom to the naive, and to give knowledge and discretion to young people.
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 Let wise people listen and increase their learning, and let discerning people get guidance,
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 proverbs, sayings, and words of wise people and their riddles.
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 Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge— fools despise wisdom and instruction.
If [you want to be] wise, you must begin by revering Yahweh. [Only] foolish people despise wisdom and good advice/discipline.
8 My son, hear the instruction of your father and do not lay aside the rules of your mother;
My son, pay attention to what [I], your father, am teaching you. And do not reject what your mother teaches you.
9 they will be a graceful wreath for your head and pendants hanging from your 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 try to entice you into their sin, refuse to follow them.
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 hide and attack innocent people for no reason.
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, like Sheol takes away those who are healthy, and make them like those who fall 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 kinds of valuable things; we will fill our houses with what we steal from others.
And we will seize all the things that they own. We will fill our houses with these things!
14 Throw in your lot with us; we will all have one purse together.”
[So], come with us! Join our group! We will share with you the things that we steal.”
15 My son, do not walk down that road with them; do not let your foot touch where they walk;
My son, do not accompany them! Do not walk on the roads with them!
16 their feet run to evil and they hurry to shed blood.
They rush to do evil deeds! They hurry to murder [MTY] people.
17 For it is useless to spread the net in the sight 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 These men lie in wait for their own blood— they set an ambush 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 everyone who gains riches by injustice; unjust gain takes away the lives of those who hold on to it.
That is what happens to people who eagerly try to get things [by violently attacking others]. They will only destroy themselves!
20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the open places;
Wisdom [PRS] shouts to people in the streets, and calls out to people in the (plazas/town squares).
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, at the entrance of the city gates she speaks,
Wisdom calls out in noisy places, and at the entrances to cities.
22 “How long, you naive people, will you love being naive? How long, you mockers, will you delight in mockery, and how long, you fools, will you 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 Pay attention to my correction; I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make my words known 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 I have called, and you have refused to listen; I reached out with my hand, but there was no one who paid attention.
But when I called to you, you refused to listen. I beckoned to you to come to me, but you ignored me.
25 But you have ignored all my instruction and paid no attention to my correction.
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 will laugh at your calamity, I will mock you when the terror comes—
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 fearful dread comes like a storm and disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish 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 they will call upon me, and I will not answer; they will desperately call for me, but they will 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 hate knowledge and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,
They refused to know [what things are right], and they decided not to revere Yahweh.
30 they would not follow my instruction, and they despised all my correction.
They would not accept my advice, and they did not pay attention when I tried to correct them.
31 They will eat the fruit of their ways, and with the fruit of their schemes they will 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 naive are killed when they turn away, and the indifference of fools will destroy them.
Those who turn away from me are stupid/foolish; they will die because of doing that.
33 But whoever listens to me will live in safety and will rest secure with no fear of disaster.”
But those who pay attention to me will live peacefully and safely, and they will not be afraid that something will harm them.”
