Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
to receive the instruction of wisdom, righteousness and judgment, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—
to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;
He that is wise will hear, and will increase learning; and the intelligent will gain wise counsels:
6 to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
to understand a proverb and an allegory, the words of the wise and their enigmas.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge: fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother;
9 for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.
for they shall be a garland of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent not.
11 If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
12 Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
13 We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.
we shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
14 You shall cast your lot amongst us. We’ll all have one purse”—
cast in thy lot among us; we will all have one purse:
15 my son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,
— my son, walk not in the way with them, keep back thy foot from their path;
16 for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
17 For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
For in vain the net is spread in the sight of anything which hath wings.
18 but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
And these lay wait for their own blood; they lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.
So are the paths of every one that is greedy of gain: it taketh away the life of its possessors.
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
Wisdom crieth without; she raiseth her voice in the broadways;
21 She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
she calleth in the chief [place] of concourse, in the entry of the gates; in the city she uttereth her words:
22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
How long, simple ones, will ye love simpleness, and scorners take pleasure in their scorning, and the foolish hate knowledge?
23 Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour forth my spirit unto you, I will make known to you my words.
24 Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one regarded;
25 but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
and ye have rejected all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you,
I also will laugh in your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you.
when your fear cometh as sudden destruction, and your calamity cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you:
28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,
— then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me early, and shall not find me.
29 because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD.
Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Jehovah;
30 They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
they would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof:
31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.
therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall cause them to perish.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be at rest from fear of evil.
