Mishlei (Pro) 1
1
1The proverbs of Shlomo the son of David,
king of Isra’el,
2are for learning about wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words expressing deep insight;
3for gaining an intelligently disciplined life,
doing what is right, just and fair;
4for endowing with caution those who don’t think
and the young person with knowledge and discretion.
5Someone who is already wise
will hear and learn still more;
someone who already understands
will gain the ability to counsel well;
6he will understand proverbs, obscure expressions,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7The fear of Adonai is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8My son, heed the discipline of your father,
and do not abandon the teaching of your mother;
9they will be a garland to grace your head,
a medal of honor for your neck.
10My son, if sinners entice you,
don’t go along with them.
11Suppose they say, “Come with us:
we’ll ambush somebody and kill him,
we’ll waylay some harmless soul, just for fun;
12we’ll swallow him alive, like Sh’ol,
whole, like those who descend to the pit;
13we’ll find everything he has of value,
we’ll fill our homes with loot!
14Throw in your lot with us;
we’ll share a common purse” —
15my son, don’t go along with them,
don’t set foot on their path;
16Their feet run to evil,
they rush to shed blood.
17For in vain is the net baited
if any bird can see it;
18rather, they are ambushing themselves
to shed their own blood, waylaying themselves.
19So are the ways of all greedy for gain —
it takes the lives of those who get it.
20Wisdom calls aloud in the open air
and raises her voice in the public places;
21she calls out at streetcorners
and speaks out at entrances to city gates:
22“How long, you whose lives have no purpose,
will you love thoughtless living?
How long will scorners find pleasure in mocking?
How long will fools hate knowledge?
23Repent when I reprove —
I will pour out my spirit to you,
I will make my words known to you.
24Because you refused when I called,
and no one paid attention when I put out my hand,
25but instead you neglected my counsel
and would not accept my reproof;
26I, in turn, will laugh at your distress,
and mock when terror comes over you —
27yes, when terror overtakes you like a storm
and your disaster approaches like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble assail you.
28Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will seek me earnestly, but they won’t find me.
29Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of Adonai,
30they refused my counsel
and despised my reproof.
31So they will bear the consequences of their own way
and be overfilled with their own schemes.
32For the aimless wandering of the thoughtless will kill them,
and the smug overconfidence of fools will destroy them;
33but those who pay attention to me will live securely,
untroubled by fear of misfortune.”
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Mishlei (Pro) 1: CJB
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