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, justice, and equity;
To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—
To give subtlety 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;
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
6 to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
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, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
My son, hear the instruction of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother:
9 for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.
For they shall be an ornament of grace unto your head, and chains about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
My son, if sinners entice you, consent you 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 privately 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 the grave; 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 your lot among us; let us 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 you in the way with them; refrain your foot from their path:
16 for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
17 For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
18 but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly 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 everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.
So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which takes away the life of the owners thereof.
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
Wisdom cries without; she utters her voice in the streets:
21 She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters 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, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
How long, all of you simple ones, will all of you love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools 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 out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
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 all of you refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
But all of you have set at nothing all my counsel, and refused my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you,
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes;
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 comes as desolation, and your destruction comes as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish comes 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 shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD.
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
30 They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
They refused 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 own 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 fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”
But whoso hearkens unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
