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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Proverbs 1: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 1
1
1Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,
3For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,
4For giving to simple ones — prudence, To a youth — knowledge and discretion.
5(The wise doth hear and increaseth learning, And the intelligent doth obtain counsels.)
6For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.
7Fear of Jehovah [is] a beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and instruction fools have despised!
8Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother,
9For a graceful wreath [are] they to thy head, And chains to thy neck.
10My son, if sinners entice thee be not willing.
11If they say, ‘Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
12We swallow them as Sheol — alive, And whole — as those going down [to] the pit,
13Every precious substance we find, We fill our houses [with] spoil,
14Thy lot thou dost cast among us, One purse is — to all of us.’
15My son! go not in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path,
16For their feet to evil do run, And they haste to shed blood.
17Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.
18And they for their own blood lay wait, They watch secretly for their own lives.
19So [are] the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, The life of its owners it taketh.
20Wisdom in an out-place crieth aloud, In broad places she giveth forth her voice,
21At the head of the multitudes she calleth, In the openings of the gates, In the city her sayings she saith:
22‘Till when, ye simple, do ye love simplicity? And have scorners their scorning desired? And do fools hate knowledge?
23Turn back at my reproof, lo, I pour forth to you my spirit, I make known my words with you.
24Because I have called, and ye refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,
25And ye slight all my counsel, And my reproof ye have not desired.
26I also in your calamity do laugh, I deride when your fear cometh,
27When your fear cometh as destruction, And your calamity as a hurricane doth come, When on you come adversity and distress.
28Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and find me not.
29Because that they have hated knowledge, And the fear of Jehovah have not chosen.
30They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,
31And they eat of the fruit of their way, And from their own counsels they are filled.
32For the turning of the simple slayeth them, And the security of the foolish destroyeth them.
33And whoso is hearkening to me dwelleth confidently, And [is] quiet from fear of evil!’
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