Proverbs 1
1
Prologue
1Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand sayings of understanding,
3to gain insightful instruction,#Literally “the instruction of insight”
righteousness and justice and equity,
4to give shrewdness#Or “cleverness,” or “prudence” to the simple,
knowledge and purpose#Or “plan” to the young,
5may the wise hear and increase learning,
and the one who understands gain direction,#Or “guidance”
6to understand a proverb and an expression,
words of wisdom and their riddles.
7Fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge;
wisdom and instruction, fools despise.
Lecture Against Gang Behavior
8My child, may you keep#Or “obey,” or “hear” your father’s instruction,
and do not reject your mother’s teachings,
9for they are a garland of favor for your head,
and pendants for your neck.
10My child, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
11If they say,
“Come with us!
We shall lie in wait for blood;
we shall ambush the innocent without cause.#Or “wantonly,” or “for nothing”
12Like Sheol,#A term for the place where the dead reside, i.e., the Underworld we will swallow them alive
and whole, like those who descend to the pit.#Literally “like the descenders of a pit”
13We shall find all precious wealth,
we shall fill our houses with booty,
14you shall throw your lot in our midst,
there will be one purse for all of us.”
15My child, do not walk in their way.#Or “on their road”
Keep your foot from their paths,
16for their feet run to evil,
and they hurry to shed blood,
17for “in vain#Or “without cause,” or “for nothing” is the net scattered,
in the sight of any winged bird.”#Literally “bird of wing”
18They lie in wait for their own blood.
They ambush their own lives.
19Thus are the ways of all who are greedy for gain—
it will take the life of its possessors.
The Call of Lady Wisdom
20Wisdom calls out in the streets,
in the squares she raises her voice.
21On a busy corner#Literally “head of commotion,” or “head of stirring, bustling” she cries out,
at the entrances of the gates in the city, she speaks her sayings:
22“How long,#Literally “Until when” O simple ones, will you love simplicity?
And how long will scoffers delight in their scoffing,
and fools hate knowledge?
23May you turn to my argument!#Or “turn at my reproach”
Behold, I shall pour out my spirit upon you;
I will make my words known to you.
24Because I called out and you refused me,
I stretched out my hand, yet there is none who heeds.
25You have ignored all my counsel,
and my reproof you are not willing to accept.
26I will also laugh at your calamity;#Or “downfall”
I will mock when panic#Or “dread, fear” comes upon you.
27When your panic comes like a storm,
and your calamity arrives like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you,
28then they will call#Or “cry out to” me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but not find me.
29Since they hated knowledge,
and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,
30they were not willing to accept my counsel,
they despised all my reproof.
31They shall eat from the fruit of their way,
and they shall be sated from their own schemes,
32for the waywardness of the simple ones will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33Whoever listens to me will dwell in security
and rest securely#Or “be at ease, peace” from dread and disaster.”
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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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