Proverbs 1
1
The Beginning of Knowledge
1The #1 Kin. 4:32; Prov. 10:1; 25:1; Eccl. 12:9proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2To know wisdom and instruction,
To perceive the words of understanding,
3To receive the instruction of wisdom,
Justice, judgment, and equity;
4To give prudence to the #Prov. 9:4simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion—
5#Prov. 9:9A wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
6To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their #Num. 12:8; Ps. 78:2; Dan. 8:23riddles.
7#Job 28:28; Ps. 111:10; Prov. 9:10; 15:33; (Eccl. 12:13)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Shun Evil Counsel
8#Prov. 4:1My son, hear the instruction of your father,
And do not forsake the law of your mother;
9For they will be a #Prov. 3:22graceful ornament on your head,
And chains about your neck.
10My son, if sinners entice you,
#Gen. 39:7–10; Deut. 13:8; Ps. 50:18; (Eph. 5:11)Do not consent.
11If they say, “Come with us,
Let us #Prov. 12:6; Jer. 5:26lie in wait to shed blood;
Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
12Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,
And whole, #Ps. 28:1like those who go down to the Pit;
13We shall find all kinds of precious possessions,
We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14Cast in your lot among us,
Let us all have one purse”—
15My son, #Ps. 1:1; Prov. 4:14do not walk in the way with them,
#Ps. 119:101Keep your foot from their path;
16#Prov. 6:17, 18; (Is. 59:7); Rom. 3:15For their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed blood.
17Surely, in vain the net is spread
In the sight of any bird;
18But they lie in wait for their own blood,
They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19#Prov. 15:27; (1 Tim. 6:10)So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;
It takes away the life of its owners.
The Call of Wisdom
20#Prov. 8:1; 9:3; (John 7:37)Wisdom calls aloud outside;
She raises her voice in the open squares.
21She cries out in the chief concourses,
At the openings of the gates in the city
She speaks her words:
22“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
23Turn at my rebuke;
Surely #Is. 32:15; Joel 2:28; (John 7:39)I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24#Is. 65:12; 66:4; Jer. 7:13; Zech. 7:11Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25Because you #Ps. 107:11; Luke 7:30disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
26#Ps. 2:4I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
27When #(Prov. 10:24, 25)your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28“Then#1 Sam. 8:18; Job 27:9; 35:12; Ps. 18:41; Is. 1:15; Jer. 11:11; 14:12; Ezek. 8:18; Mic. 3:4; Zech. 7:13; (James 4:3) they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29Because they #Job 21:14; Prov. 1:22hated knowledge
And did not #Ps. 119:173choose the fear of the Lord,
30#Ps. 81:11; Prov. 1:25They would have none of my counsel
And despised my every rebuke.
31Therefore #Job 4:8; Prov. 5:22, 23; 22:8; Is. 3:11; Jer. 6:19they shall eat the fruit of their own way,
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
32For the turning away of the simple will slay them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33But whoever listens to me will dwell #Prov. 3:24–26safely,
And #Ps. 112:7will be secure, without fear of evil.”
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Proverbs 1: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 1
1
The Purpose of Proverbs
1These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
2Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,
to help them understand the insights of the wise.
3Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,
to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
4These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young.
5Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance
6by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
A Father’s Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom
8My child,#1:8 Hebrew My son; also in 1:10, 15. listen when your father corrects you.
Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
9What you learn from them will crown you with grace
and be a chain of honor around your neck.
10My child, if sinners entice you,
turn your back on them!
11They may say, “Come and join us.
Let’s hide and kill someone!
Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
12Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave#1:12 Hebrew like Sheol.;
let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.
13Think of the great things we’ll get!
We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.
14Come, throw in your lot with us;
we’ll all share the loot.”
15My child, don’t go along with them!
Stay far away from their paths.
16They rush to commit evil deeds.
They hurry to commit murder.
17If a bird sees a trap being set,
it knows to stay away.
18But these people set an ambush for themselves;
they are trying to get themselves killed.
19Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money;
it robs them of life.
Wisdom Shouts in the Streets
20Wisdom shouts in the streets.
She cries out in the public square.
21She calls to the crowds along the main street,
to those gathered in front of the city gate:
22“How long, you simpletons,
will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers relish your mocking?
How long will you fools hate knowledge?
23Come and listen to my counsel.
I’ll share my heart with you
and make you wise.
24“I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come.
I reached out to you, but you paid no attention.
25You ignored my advice
and rejected the correction I offered.
26So I will laugh when you are in trouble!
I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—
27when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone,
and anguish and distress overwhelm you.
28“When they cry for help, I will not answer.
Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me.
29For they hated knowledge
and chose not to fear the Lord.
30They rejected my advice
and paid no attention when I corrected them.
31Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way,
choking on their own schemes.
32For simpletons turn away from me—to death.
Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
33But all who listen to me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.”
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