Proverbs 1

1 These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,

2 for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,

3 and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.

4 To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,

5 let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel

6 by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.

9 For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.

10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.

11 If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,

12 let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit.

13 We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.

14 Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—

15 my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.

16 For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.

17 How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!

18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.

19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.

20 Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;

21 in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:

22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?

23 If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.

24 Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,

25 because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,

26 in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,

27 when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.

28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.

29 For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.

30 They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.

31 So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

32 For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

33 But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”

1 ¶ The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

5 A wise [man] will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

7 ¶ The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

9 For they [shall be] an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

10 ¶ My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18 And they lay wait for their [own] blood; they lurk privily for their [own] lives.

19 So [are] the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; [which] taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

20 ¶ Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, [saying],

22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

1 These are the sayings of Solomon king of Israel, David's son,

2 to learn wisdom and discipline, understanding,

3 prudence, justice, right and wrong,

4 That the silly become witty, and the young men sensible and prudent.

5 He that is wise hearkeneth, and mendeth: and he that is understanding heareth counsel,

6 That he may hear the sayings and their interpretation, the doctrine of the wise and their examples.

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of learning. The wicked despise wisdom and discipline.

8 my child, obey your father's discipline and do not forsake your mother's commandment.

9 For these things are an ornament unto thy head, and a chain about thy neck.

10 My child, if the wicked lure thee, follow not.

11 When they say, Go with us; we will lie in wait for blood, and pursue the innocent without a cause;

12 We will swallow them up alive as hell, and the pious as they that go down to the pit;

13 We will find great goods; we will fill our houses with spoil;

14 Dare it with us; it shall be a bag of us all:

15 My child, walk not in the way with them; turn away thy foot from their path.

16 For their feet run to evil, and haste to shed blood.

17 For it is vain to cast the net before the eyes of the birds.

18 They also lie in wait among themselves for their blood, and seek one another's lives.

19 So do all the covetous, that one taketh another's life.

20 Wisdom complaineth without, and is heard in the streets.

21 She calleth in the door of the gate in the front among the people; she speaketh her words in the city:

22 How long will ye be foolish, and the scoffers delight in scoffing, and the reprobate hate the doctrine?

23 Return unto my punishment. Behold, I will speak my spirit unto you, and make known my words unto you.

24 Because I call, and ye refuse; I stretch forth my hand, and no man hearkeneth unto it,

25 And let all my counsel go, and be not willing of my punishment:

26 I will also laugh at your calamity, and mock you, when that cometh which ye fear,

27 When upon you cometh as a storm ye fear, and your calamity as a weather, when upon you cometh fear and trouble.

28 Then shall they call unto me, but I will not answer: they shall seek me early, and shall not find me.

29 Because they hated the doctrine, and would not have the fear of the LORD,

30 Were not willing of my counsel, and blasphemed all my punishment,

31 So shall they eat of the fruits of their being, and be satisfied with their counsel.

32 That which the foolish desire killeth them, and the wicked fortune destroyeth them.

33 But he that obeyeth me shall be safe, and shall have plenty, and shall fear no evil.