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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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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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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