1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: |
1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; |
1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, righteousness, and judgment, and equity; |
1:4 To give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man. |
1:5 A wise man will hear and will increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsel |
1:6 To understand a proverb and its interpretation, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. |
1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. |
1:8 My son, hear the instruction of your father and forsake not the law of your mother, |
1:9 For they shall be an ornament of grace to your head and chains of honor around your neck. |
1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. |
1:11 If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; we will watch secretly for the innocent without cause; |
1:12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those who go down into the pit; |
1:13 We shall find all precious substance; we shall fill our houses with plunder; |
1:14 Cast in your lot among us, and let us have one purse." |
1:15 My son, do not walk in the way with them! Keep back your foot from their path, |
1:16 For their feet run to evil and make haste to shed blood. |
1:17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird, |
1:18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; they watch secretly for their own lives. |
1:19 So are the ways of everyone who gets gain by violence, who takes away the life of its owners. |
1:20 Wisdom cries outside; she utters her voice in the streets; |
1:21 She cries in the chief place of gathering, in the openings of the gates; in the city she utters her words, saying, |
1:22 "How long will you love simplicity, simple ones? And will scorners delight in their scorning? And will fools hate knowledge? |
1:23 Turn back at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. |
1:24 Because I called, and you refused to hearken, I stretched out my hand, and no one paid attention; |
1:25 But you have despised all my counsel and would have none of my reproof. |
1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes; |
1:27 When your calamity comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when trouble and pain come upon you, |
1:28 Then they shall call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. |
1:29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, |
1:30 They would have none of my counsel; they despised all my correction. |
1:31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices. |
1:32 For the waywardness of the simple shall slay them, and the complacency of fools destroys them. |
1:33 But whoever hearkens to me shall dwell safely and shall be secure without fear of harm." |