Proverbs 1
1 Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel,
2 For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,
in order to know wisdom and discipline,
3 For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,
to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity,
4 For giving to simple ones — prudence, To a youth — knowledge and discretion.
so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents.
5 (The wise doth hear and increaseth learning, And the intelligent doth obtain counsels.)
By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments.
6 For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.
He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas.
7 Fear of Jehovah [is] a beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and instruction fools have despised!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine.
8 Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother,
Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother,
9 For a graceful wreath [are] they to thy head, And chains to thy neck.
so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee be not willing.
My son, if sinners should entice you, do not consent to them.
11 If they say, 'Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
If they should say: “Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause.
Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 Every precious substance we find, We fill our houses [with] spoil,
We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils.
14 Thy lot thou dost cast among us, One purse is — to all of us.'
Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all.”
15 My son! go not in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path,
My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths.
16 For their feet to evil do run, And they haste to shed blood.
For their feet rush to evil, and they hurry to shed blood.
17 Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.
But a net is thrown in vain before the eyes of those who have wings.
18 And they for their own blood lay wait, They watch secretly for their own lives.
Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls.
19 So [are] the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, The life of its owners it taketh.
Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess.
20 Wisdom in an out-place crieth aloud, In broad places she giveth forth her voice,
Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets.
21 At the head of the multitudes she calleth, In the openings of the gates, In the city her sayings she saith:
She cries out at the head of crowds; at the entrance of the gates of the city, she offers her words, saying:
22 'Till when, ye simple, do ye love simplicity? And have scorners their scorning desired? And do fools hate knowledge?
“Little ones, how long will you choose to be childish, and how long will the foolish desire what is harmful to themselves, and how long will the imprudent hate knowledge?
23 Turn back at my reproof, lo, I pour forth to you my spirit, I make known my words with you.
Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,
For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched.
25 And ye slight all my counsel, And my reproof ye have not desired.
You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes.
26 I also in your calamity do laugh, I deride when your fear cometh,
Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome you.
27 When your fear cometh as destruction, And your calamity as a hurricane doth come, When on you come adversity and distress.
When sudden calamity rushes upon you, and your demise advances like a tempest, when tribulation and anguish overcome you,
28 Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and find me not.
then they will call to me, and I will not heed, they will arise in the morning, and not find me.
29 Because that they have hated knowledge, And the fear of Jehovah have not chosen.
For they held hatred for discipline, and they would not accept the fear of the Lord;
30 They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,
they would not consent to my counsel, but they detracted from all of my corrections.
31 And they eat of the fruit of their way, And from their own counsels they are filled.
Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels.
32 For the turning of the simple slayeth them, And the security of the foolish destroyeth them.
The loathing of the little ones shall destroy them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall perish them.
33 And whoso is hearkening to me dwelleth confidently, And [is] quiet from fear of evil!'
But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils.”
