Proverbs 1:1“Purpose and Theme
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:”
Proverbs 1:2“for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;”
Proverbs 1:3“for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;”
Proverbs 1:4“for giving prudence to those who are simple,[a]
knowledge and discretion to the young—”
Proverbs 1:5“let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—”
Proverbs 1:6“for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.[b]”
Proverbs 1:7“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools[c] despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 1:8“Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom
Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.”
Proverbs 1:9“They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.”
Proverbs 1:10“My son, if sinful men entice you,
do not give in to them.”
Proverbs 1:11“If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;”
Proverbs 1:12“let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;”
Proverbs 1:13“we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;”
Proverbs 1:14“cast lots with us;
we will all share the loot”—”
Proverbs 1:15“my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;”
Proverbs 1:16“for their feet rush into evil,
they are swift to shed blood.”
Proverbs 1:17“How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!”
Proverbs 1:18“These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!”
Proverbs 1:19“Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.”
Proverbs 1:20“Wisdom’s Rebuke
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
she raises her voice in the public square;”
Proverbs 1:21“on top of the wall[d] she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:”
Proverbs 1:22““How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?”
Proverbs 1:23“Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.”
Proverbs 1:24“But since you refuse to listen when I call
and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,”
Proverbs 1:25“since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,”
Proverbs 1:26“I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you—”
Proverbs 1:27“when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.”
Proverbs 1:28““Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me,”
Proverbs 1:29“since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.”
Proverbs 1:30“Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,”
Proverbs 1:31“they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.”
Proverbs 1:32“For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;”
Proverbs 1:33“but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.””
