< Proverbs 1 >

1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, King of Israel:
2 to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
For the knowledge of wisdom and correction, for discerning the sayings of intelligence;
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
For receiving the correction of prudence, righteousness and justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—
For giving To the simple shrewdness, 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, discreet man, wise counsels, will acquire,
6 to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
By gaining discernment of proverb, and satire, 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 reverence of Yahweh, is the beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and correction, the foolish have despised.
8 My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
Hear, my son, the correction of thy father, and do not reject the instruction of thy mother;
9 for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.
For, a wreath of beauty, shall they be to thy head, and chains of ornament, to thy neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
My son, if sinners entice thee, do not consent.
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 lie in wait for blood, Let us watch in secret for him who is needlessly innocent;
12 Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
Let us engulf them, like hades, alive, While in health, like them who are going down to the pit; (Sheol h7585)
13 We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.
All costly substance, shall we find, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 You shall cast your lot amongst us. We’ll all have one purse”—
Thy lot, shalt thou cast into our midst, One purse, shall there be, for us all.
15 my son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,
My son, do not walk in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path.
16 for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
For, their feet, to mischief, do run, and haste to the shedding of blood.
17 For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
Surely, in vain, is spread the net, in the sight of aught that hath wings!
18 but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
Yet, they, for their own blood, lie in wait, They watch in secret for their own life.
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.
Such are the ways of every one that graspeth with greed, The life of the owners thereof, it taketh away!
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
Wisdom, in the open place, soundeth forth, in the broadways, she raiseth her voice;
21 She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
At the head of bustling streets, she crieth aloud, —at the openings of the gates in the city—her sayings, she doth utter: —
22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and, scoffers, in scoffing, delight them? and, dullards, hate knowledge?
23 Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
Will ye turn, at my reproof? Lo! I will pour out to you my spirit, I will make known my words to you.
24 Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
Because I called, and ye refused, I stretched out my hand, and no one regarded;
25 but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
But ye dismissed all my counsel, and, to my rebuke, would not yield,
26 I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you,
I also, at your calamity, will laugh, I will mock, when cometh your dread;
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you.
When cometh as a crashing your dread, and, your calamity, as a storm-wind, overtaketh, when there come upon you, distress and anguish.
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 me, but I will not answer, they will seek me diligently, but shall not find me.
29 because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD.
Because they hated knowledge, and, the reverence of Yahweh, did not choose;
30 They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
Consented not to my counsel, disdained all my rebuke,
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, with their own counsels, be filled.
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, will slay them, —and, the carelessness of dullards, will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”
Whereas, he that hearkeneth unto me, shall dwell safely, and be at rest, without dread of misfortune.

< Proverbs 1 >