Proverbs 1
1
The Beginning of Knowledge
1 # ch. 10:1; 25:1; 1 Kgs. 4:32; Eccles. 12:9 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
3to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in #ch. 2:9righteousness, justice, and equity;
4to give prudence to #ch. 8:5; 14:15, 18 the simple,
knowledge and #ch. 2:11; 3:21discretion to the youth—
5Let the wise hear and #ch. 9:9increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6to understand a proverb and a saying,
# ch. 22:17 the words of the wise and their #Judg. 14:12; Ps. 78:2riddles.
7 # ch. 9:10; [ch. 15:33]; See Job 28:28 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Enticement of Sinners
8 # ch. 6:20; [Ps. 34:11; Eph. 6:1, 2] Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
9for they are #ch. 4:9; [ch. 3:22] a graceful garland for your head
and #[Gen. 41:42; Dan. 5:29]pendants for your neck.
10My son, if sinners #ch. 16:29entice you,
do not consent.
11If they say, “Come with us, #ver. 18; ch. 12:6; Jer. 5:26 let us lie in wait for blood;
# ver. 18; Ps. 10:8; 64:5 let us ambush the innocent without reason;
12like Sheol let us #Ps. 124:3; [Num. 16:32, 33] swallow them alive,
and whole, like #Ps. 28:1those who go down to the pit;
13we shall find all precious goods,
we shall fill our houses with plunder;
14throw in your lot among us;
we will all have one purse”—
15my son, #ch. 4:14; 24:1; Ps. 1:1 do not walk in the way with them;
# [Ps. 119:101] hold back your foot from their paths,
16for #ch. 6:18; Isa. 59:7; [Rom. 3:15]their feet run to evil,
and they make haste to shed blood.
17 # [Job 40:24] For in vain is a net spread
in the sight of any bird,
18but these men #ver. 11lie in wait for their own blood;
they #ver. 11set an ambush for their own lives.
19 # [Job 8:13] Such are the ways of everyone who is #ch. 15:27 greedy for unjust gain;
# [1 Tim. 6:10] it takes away the life of its possessors.
The Call of Wisdom
20 # ch. 8:1; 9:3; [John 7:37] Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
21at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at #ch. 8:3the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22“How long, O #See ver. 4 simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will #See Ps. 1:1 scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools #ver. 29; ch. 5:12; [Job 21:14]hate knowledge?
23If you turn at my reproof,#1:23 Or Will you turn away at my reproof?
behold, I will #Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 #
Isa. 65:12; 66:4; Jer. 7:13 Because I have called and #Zech. 7:11 you refused to listen,
have #Rom. 10:21stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25because you have #See Ps. 107:11 ignored all my counsel
and #[Ps. 81:11; Luke 7:30]would have none of my reproof,
26I also #See Ps. 2:4 will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when #ch. 10:24; Jer. 48:43; 49:5terror strikes you,
27when terror strikes you like #[Zeph. 1:15]a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 # See 1 Sam. 8:18; Job 27:9 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29Because they #[See ver. 22 above] hated knowledge
and #[Job 21:14]did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 # [See ver. 25 above] would have none of my counsel
and #[See ver. 25 above]despised all my reproof,
31therefore they shall eat #Jer. 6:19 the fruit of their way,
and have #ch. 14:14; Isa. 3:11; [Job 4:8]their fill of their own devices.
32For the simple are killed by #Jer. 2:19 their turning away,
and #[Ps. 73:18, 19]the complacency of fools destroys them;
33but #[Ps. 25:12, 13] whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be #Ps. 112:7, 8at ease, without dread of disaster.”
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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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