Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1

¹The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

²to know wisdom and instruction;

to discern the words of understanding;

³to receive instruction in wise dealing,

in righteousness, justice, and equity;

⁴to give prudence to the simple,

knowledge and discretion to the young man:

⁵that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;

that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:

⁶to understand a proverb, and parables,

the words and riddles of the wise.

⁷The fear of Yahweh * is the beginning of knowledge;

but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

⁸My son, listen to your father’s instruction,

and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching:

⁹for they will be a garland to grace your head,

and chains around your neck.

¹⁰My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.

¹¹If they say, “Come with us,

Let’s lay in wait for blood;

let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

¹²let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol *Sheol is the place of the dead.,

and whole, like those who go down into the pit.

¹³We’ll find all valuable wealth.

We’ll fill our houses with spoil.

¹⁴You shall cast your lot among us.

We’ll all have one purse.”

¹⁵My son, don’t walk in the way with them.

Keep your foot from their path,

¹⁶for their feet run to evil.

They hurry to shed blood.

¹⁷For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird:

¹⁸but these lay wait for their own blood.

They lurk secretly for their own lives.

¹⁹So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain.

It takes away the life of its owners.

²⁰Wisdom calls aloud in the street.

She utters her voice in the public squares.

²¹She calls at the head of noisy places.

At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:

²²“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?

How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery,

and fools hate knowledge?

²³Turn at my reproof.

Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you.

I will make known my words to you.

²⁴Because I have called, and you have refused;

I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;

²⁵but you have ignored all my counsel,

and wanted none of my reproof;

²⁶I also will laugh at your disaster.

I will mock when calamity overtakes you;

²⁷when calamity overtakes you like a storm,

when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind;

when distress and anguish come on you.

²⁸Then will they call on me, but I will not answer.

They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;

²⁹because they hated knowledge,

and didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.

³⁰They wanted none of my counsel.

They despised all my reproof.

³¹Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,

and be filled with their own schemes.

³²For the backsliding of the simple will kill them.

The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

³³But whoever listens to me will dwell securely,

and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”