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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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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Proverbs 1
1
The Reasons for Proverbs
1The proverbs of Solomon, David’s son who was king of Israel, ⌞given⌟
2to grasp wisdom and discipline,
to understand deep thoughts,
3to acquire the discipline of wise behavior—
righteousness and justice and fairness—
4to give insight to gullible people,
to give knowledge and foresight to the young—
5a wise person will listen and continue to learn,
and an understanding person will gain direction—
6to understand a proverb and a clever saying,
the words of wise people and their riddles.
7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
Stubborn fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Listen to Wisdom
8My son,
listen to your father’s discipline,
and do not neglect your mother’s teachings,
9because discipline and teachings
are a graceful garland on your head
and a ⌞golden⌟ chain around your neck.
10My son,
if sinners lure you, do not go along.
11If they say,
“Come with us.
Let’s set an ambush to kill someone.
Let’s hide to ambush innocent people for fun.
12We’ll swallow them alive like the grave,
like those in good health who go into the pit.
13We’ll find all kinds of valuable possessions.
We’ll fill our homes with stolen goods.
14Join us.
We’ll split the loot equally.”
15My son,
do not follow them in their way.
Do not even set foot on their path,
16because they rush to do evil
and hurry to shed blood.
17It does no good to spread a net
within the sight of any bird.
18But these people set an ambush for their own murder.
They go into hiding only to lose their lives.
19This is what happens to everyone
who is greedy for unjust gain.
Greed takes away his life.
20Wisdom sings her song in the streets.
In the public squares she raises her voice.
21At the corners of noisy streets she calls out.
At the entrances to the city she speaks her words,
22“How long will you gullible people love being so gullible?
How long will you mockers find joy in your mocking?
How long will you fools hate knowledge?
23“Turn to me when I warn you.
I will generously pour out my spirit for you.
I will make my words known to you.
24“I called, and you refused to listen.
I stretched out my hands to you, and no one paid attention.
25You ignored all my advice.
You did not want me to warn you.
26I will laugh at your calamity.
I will make fun of you
when panic strikes you,
27when panic strikes you like a violent storm,
when calamity strikes you like a wind storm,
when trouble and anguish come to you.
28“They will call to me at that time, but I will not answer.
They will look for me, but they will not find me,
29because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord.
30They refused my advice.
They despised my every warning.
31They will eat the fruit of their lifestyle.
They will be stuffed with their own schemes.
32“Gullible people kill themselves because of their turning away.
Fools destroy themselves because of their indifference.
33But whoever listens to me will live without worry
and will be free from the dread of disaster.”
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