Proverbs 1
1
1 The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel,
2 in order to know wisdom and discipline,
3 to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity,
4 so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents.
5 By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments.
6 He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine.
8 Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother,
9 so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck.
10 My son, if sinners should entice you, do not consent to them.
11 If they should say: "Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause.
12 Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit.
13 We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils.
14 Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all."
15 My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths.
16 For their feet rush to evil, and they hurry to shed blood.
17 But a net is thrown in vain before the eyes of those who have wings.
18 Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls.
19 Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess.
20 Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets.
21 She cries out at the head of crowds; at the entrance of the gates of the city, she offers her words, saying:
22 "Little ones, how long will you choose to be childish, and how long will the foolish desire what is harmful to themselves, and how long will the imprudent hate knowledge?
23 Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you.
24 For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched.
25 You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes.
26 Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome you.
27 When sudden calamity rushes upon you, and your demise advances like a tempest, when tribulation and anguish overcome you,
28 then they will call to me, and I will not heed, they will arise in the morning, and not find me.
29 For they held hatred for discipline, and they would not accept the fear of the Lord;
30 they would not consent to my counsel, but they detracted from all of my corrections.
31 Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels.
32 The loathing of the little ones shall destroy them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall perish them.
33 But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils."
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Proverbs 1
1
Purpose and Theme
1The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4for giving prudence to those who are simple,#1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs denotes a person who is gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil.
knowledge and discretion to the young—
5let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
6for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.#1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles
7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools#1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient. despise wisdom and instruction.
Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom
Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men
8Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.
10My son, if sinful men entice you,
do not give in to them.
11If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14cast lots with us;
we will all share the loot”—
15my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;
16for their feet rush into evil,
they are swift to shed blood.
17How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!
19Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.
Wisdom’s Rebuke
20Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
she raises her voice in the public square;
21on top of the wall#1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
23Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24But since you refuse to listen when I call
and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
25since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you—
27when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28“Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me,
29since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.
30Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
31they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
32For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
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