Proverbs 1

The Purpose of Proverbs

1 The proverbs of Solomon  * 1:1 1Kg 4:32; Pr 10:1; 25:1; Ec 12:9 son of David, king of Israel:

2 For learning wisdom and discipline;

for understanding insightful sayings;

3 for receiving prudent instruction

in righteousness, justice, and integrity;  * 1:3 Pr 2:9

4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,  * 1:4 Or simple, or gullible,* 1:4 Pr 8:5

knowledge and discretion  * 1:4 Pr 2:11; 3:21 to a young man —

5 let a wise person listen and increase learning,  * 1:5 Pr 9:9; 16:21,23

and let a discerning person obtain guidance —

6 for understanding a proverb or a parable,  * 1:6 Or an enigma

the words of the wise, and their riddles.  * 1:6 Nm 12:8; Jdg 14:12; Ps 49:4; Hab 2:6

7 The fear of the  Lord

is the beginning of knowledge;  * 1:7 Jb 28:28; Ps 111:10; Pr 9:10; 15:33

fools despise wisdom and discipline.  * 1:7 Eph 5:17

Avoid the Path of the Violent

8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,

and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,  * 1:8 Pr 6:20; 31:1

9 for they will be a garland  * 1:9 Pr 4:9 of favor on your head

and pendants  * 1:9 Lit chains around your neck.  * 1:9 Gn 41:42; Pr 6:21; Dn 5:29

10 My son, if sinners entice you,  * 1:10 Pr 16:29

don’t be persuaded.  * 1:10 Ps 141:4

11 If they say — "Come with us!

Let’s set an ambush  * 1:11 Pr 12:6; Jr 5:26 and kill someone.  * 1:11 Lit Let’s ambush for blood

Let’s attack some innocent person  * 1:11 Ps 10:8 just for fun!  * 1:11 Lit person for no reason

12 Let’s swallow them alive,  * 1:12 Ps 124:3 like Sheol,

whole, like those who go down to the Pit.  * 1:12 Ps 28:1

13 We’ll find all kinds of valuable property

and fill our houses with plunder.  * 1:13 Pr 24:4

14 Throw in your lot with us,

and we’ll all share the loot"  * 1:14 Litus; one bag will be for all of us  —

15 my son, don’t travel that road with them  * 1:15 Ps 1:1; Pr 4:14

or set foot on their path,  * 1:15 Ps 119:101; Pr 16:19

16 because their feet run toward evil

and they hurry to shed blood.  * 1:16 Pr 6:17–18; Is 59:7; Rm 3:15

17 It is useless to spread a net

where any bird can see it,

18 but they set an ambush to kill themselves;  * 1:18 Lit they ambush for their blood

they attack their own lives.

19 Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly;  * 1:19 Pr 15:27; Ezk 22:27; Hab 2:6–12

it takes the lives of those who receive it.  * 1:19 Lit takes the life of its masters

Wisdom’s Plea

20 Wisdom calls out in the street;

she makes her voice heard in the public squares.  * 1:20 Pr 8:1–3; 9:3

21 She cries out above  * 1:21 Lit at the head of the commotion;

she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:

22 "How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance?

How long will you mockers  * 1:22 Ps 1:1 enjoy mocking

and you fools hate knowledge?  * 1:22 Jb 21:14; Pr 1:29; 5:12

23 If you respond to my warning,  * 1:23 Lit you turn back to my reprimand,* 1:23 Pr 3:11; 15:5,31–32

then I will pour out my spirit on you  * 1:23 Jl 2:28

and teach you my words.

24 Since I called out and you refused,  * 1:24 Is 65:12; 66:4; Jr 7:13; Zch 7:11

extended my hand and no one paid attention,  * 1:24 Is 65:2; Rm 10:21

25 since you neglected all my counsel  * 1:25 Ps 107:11; Lk 7:30

and did not accept my correction,

26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.  * 1:26 Ps 2:4

I will mock when terror strikes you,

27 when terror strikes you like a storm

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when trouble and stress overcome you.

28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;

they will search for me, but won’t find me.  * 1:28 1Sm 8:18

29 Because they hated knowledge,

didn’t choose to fear the  Lord,  * 1:29 Pr 1:7

30 were not interested in my counsel,

and rejected all my correction,  * 1:30 Pr 5:12; 15:5

31 they will eat the fruit of their way  * 1:31 Jr 6:19

and be glutted with their own schemes.  * 1:31 Pr 14:14; 28:19

32 For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them,  * 1:32 Jr 2:19

and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

33 But whoever listens to me will live securely

and be undisturbed by the dread of danger."  * 1:33 Ps 112:7–8; Pr 3:24–26