Proverbs 1
1 The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, who reigned in Israel;
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel.
2 to know wisdom and instruction, and to perceive words of understanding;
These proverbs are to teach wisdom and instruction, to teach words of insight,
3 to receive also hard saying, and to understand true justice, and [how] to direct judgement;
that you may receive instruction in order to live by doing what is right, just, and fair.
4 that he might give subtlety to the simple, and to the young man discernment and understanding.
These proverbs are also to give wisdom to the naive, and to give knowledge and discretion to young people.
5 For by the hearing of these a wise man will be wiser, and man of understanding will gain direction;
Let wise people listen and increase their learning, and let discerning people get guidance,
6 and will understand a parable, and a dark speech; the saying of the wise also, and riddles.
to understand proverbs, sayings, and words of wise people and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and [there is] good understanding to all that practise it: and piety towards God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will set at nothing wisdom and instruction.
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge— fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Hear, [my] son, the instruction of your father, and reject not the rules of your mother.
My son, hear the instruction of your father and do not lay aside the rules of your mother;
9 For you shall receive for your head a crown of graces, and a chain of gold round your neck.
they will be a graceful wreath for your head and pendants hanging from your neck.
10 [My] son, let not ungodly men lead you astray, neither consent you [to them].
My son, if sinners try to entice you into their sin, refuse to follow them.
11 If they should exhort you, saying, Come with us, partake in blood, and let us unjustly hide the just man in the earth:
If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide and attack innocent people for no reason.
12 and let us swallow him alive, as Hades [would], and remove the memorial of him from the earth: (Sheol h7585)
Let us swallow them up alive, like Sheol takes away those who are healthy, and make them like those who fall into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 let us seize on his valuable property, and let us fill our houses with spoils:
We shall find all kinds of valuable things; we will fill our houses with what we steal from others.
14 but do you cast in your lot with us, and let us all provide a common purse, and let us have one pouch:
Throw in your lot with us; we will all have one purse together.”
15 go not in the way with them, but turn aside your foot from their paths:
My son, do not walk down that road with them; do not let your foot touch where they walk;
16 [For their feet run to do evil, and are swift to shed blood. ]
their feet run to evil and they hurry to shed blood.
17 for nets are not without cause spread for birds.
For it is useless to spread the net in the sight of any bird.
18 For they that are concerned in murder store up evils for themselves; and the overthrow of transgressors is evil.
These men lie in wait for their own blood— they set an ambush for their own lives.
19 These are the ways of all that perform lawless deeds; for by ungodliness they destroy their own life.
So are the ways of everyone who gains riches by injustice; unjust gain takes away the lives of those who hold on to it.
20 Wisdom sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly.
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the open places;
21 And she makes proclamation on the top of the walls, and sits by the gates of princes; and at the gates of the city boldly says,
at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, at the entrance of the city gates she speaks,
22 So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and are become subject to reproofs.
“How long, you naive people, will you love being naive? How long, you mockers, will you delight in mockery, and how long, you fools, will you hate knowledge?
23 Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech.
Pay attention to my correction; I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make my words known to you.
24 Since I called, and you did not listen; and I spoke at length, and you gave no heed;
I have called, and you have refused to listen; I reached out with my hand, but there was no one who paid attention.
25 but you set at nothing my counsels, and disregarded my reproofs;
But you have ignored all my instruction and paid no attention to my correction.
26 therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against [you] when ruin comes upon you:
I will laugh at your calamity, I will mock you when the terror comes—
27 yes when dismay suddenly comes upon you, and [your] overthrow shall arrive like a tempest; and when tribulation and distress shall come upon you, or when ruin shall come upon you.
when your fearful dread comes like a storm and disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 For it shall be that when you call upon me, I will not listen to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find [me].
Then they will call upon me, and I will not answer; they will desperately call for me, but they will not find me.
29 For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord:
Because they hate knowledge and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,
30 neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs.
they would not follow my instruction, and they despised all my correction.
31 Therefore shall they eat the fruits of their own way, and shall be filled with their own ungodliness.
They will eat the fruit of their ways, and with the fruit of their schemes they will be filled.
32 For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly.
For the naive are killed when they turn away, and the indifference of fools will destroy them.
33 But he that hearkens to me shall dwell in confidence, and shall rest securely from all evil.
But whoever listens to me will live in safety and will rest secure with no fear of disaster.”
