Proverbs 1
1
Why Proverbs Is Important
1These are the wise words of Solomon son of David. Solomon was king of Israel.
2They teach wisdom and self-control.
They give understanding.
3They will teach you how to be wise and self-controlled.
They will teach you what is honest and fair and right.
4They give the ability to think to those with little knowledge.
They give knowledge and good sense to the young.
5Wise people should also listen to them and learn even more.
Even they can find good advice in these words.
6Then they will be able to understand wise words and stories.
They will understand the words of wise men and their riddles.
7Knowledge begins with respect for the Lord.
But foolish people hate wisdom and discipline.
Warnings Against Evil
8My child, listen to your father’s teaching.
And do not forget your mother’s advice.
9Their teaching will beautify your life.
It will be like flowers in your hair or a chain around your neck.
10My child, sinners will try to lead you into sin.
But do not follow them.
11They might say, “Come with us.
Let’s ambush and kill someone.
Let’s attack some harmless person just for fun.
12Let’s swallow them alive, as death does.
Let’s swallow them whole, as the grave does.
13We will take all kinds of valuable things.
We will fill our houses with what we steal.
14Come join us,
and we will share with you what we steal.”
15My child, do not go along with them.
Do not do what they do.
16They run to do evil.
They are quick to kill.
17It is useless to spread out a net
right where the birds can see it!
18These men are setting their own trap.
They will only catch themselves!
19All greedy people end up this way.
Greed takes away the life of the greedy person.
Wisdom Speaks
20Wisdom is like a good woman who shouts in the street.
She raises her voice in the city squares.
21She cries out in the noisy street.
She makes her speech at the city gates:
22“You foolish people! How long do you want to stay foolish?
How long will you make fun of wisdom?
How long will you hate knowledge?
23Listen when I correct you.
I will tell you what’s in my heart.
I will tell you what I am thinking.
24I called, but you refused to listen.
I held out my hand, but you paid no attention.
25You did not follow my advice.
You did not want me to correct you.
26So I will laugh when you are in trouble.
I will make fun when disaster happens to you.
27Disaster will come over you like a storm.
Trouble will strike you like a whirlwind.
Pain and trouble will overwhelm you.
28“Then you will call out to me.
But I will not answer.
You will look for me.
But you will not find me.
29You rejected knowledge.
You did not choose to respect the Lord.
30You did not accept my advice.
You rejected my correction.
31So you will get what you deserve.
You will get what you planned for others.
32Fools wander away and get killed.
They are destroyed because they do not care.
33But those who listen to me will live in safety.
They will be safe, without fear of being hurt.”
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.