1:1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
1:2 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight;
1:3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair;
1:4 for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young–
1:5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance–
1:6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
1:8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
1:9 They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.
1:11 If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood, let’s waylay some harmless soul;
1:12 let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
1:13 we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder;
1:14 throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse”–
1:15 my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths;
1:16 for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood.
1:17 How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds!
1:18 These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only themselves!
1:19 Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it.
1:20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares;
1:21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:
1:22 “How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
1:23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.
1:24 But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,
1:25 since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke,
1:26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you–
1:27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
1:28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me.
1:29 Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD,
1:30 since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke,
1:31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
1:32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
1:33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, the king of Israel:
1:2 For knowing wisdom and instruction; / For discerning words of understanding;
1:3 For receiving instruction in wise conduct, / Righteousness, justice, and equity;
1:4 For giving prudence to the simple, / Knowledge and discretion to the young man;
1:5 That the wise man may hear and increase in learning, / And he who has understanding may acquire sound counsel;
1:6 For understanding proverb and figure, / The words of the wise and their difficult sayings.
1:7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; / Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
1:8 Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, / And do not reject the teaching of your mother;
1:9 For they will be a wreath of grace for your head / And ornaments for your neck.
1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, / Do not consent.
1:11 If they say, Come with us; let us lie in wait for blood; / Let us ambush the innocent without cause;
1:12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, / And whole, like those who go down into the pit.
1:13 We will find all manner of precious goods; / We will fill our houses with booty;
1:14 Throw in your lot with us; / We will all have one purse ?
1:15 My son, do not walk with them on this way; / Keep your foot from their path.
1:16 For their feet run toward evil, / And they hasten to shed blood.
1:17 For in vain is the net spread / In the eyes of any bird;
1:18 Yet they lie in wait for their own blood; / They ambush their own lives!
1:19 Such are the ways of everyone greedy for gain; / It takes away the life of its owners.
1:20 Wisdom cries out in the street; / She utters her voice in the open squares.
1:21 At the head of the tumultuous street she cries; / At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
1:22 How long, O simple ones, will you love simpleness, / And will scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, / And will fools hate knowledge?
1:23 Turn yourselves at my reproof ? / Immediately I will pour out my spirit on you; / I will make my words known to you.
1:24 Because I called and you refused; / I stretched out my hand and no one heeded,
1:25 And you neglected all my counsel / And would have none of my reproof;
1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; / I will mock when what you dread comes,
1:27 When what you dread comes like a storm, / And your calamity comes like a whirlwind, / When distress and anguish come upon you.
1:28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; / They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
1:29 Because they hated knowledge / And did not choose the fear of Jehovah,
1:30 And would have none of my counsel / And despised all my reproof;
1:31 They shall eat of the fruit of their own way / And be filled with their own devices.
1:32 For the turning away of the simple will kill them, / And the prosperity of the foolish will cause them to perish;
1:33 But he who listens to me will dwell securely / And will live at ease, without the dread of evil.