Proverbs

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!'

1The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

2to know wisdom and instruction;to discern the words of understanding;

3to receive instruction in wise dealing,in righteousness, justice, and equity;

4to give prudence to the simple,knowledge and discretion to the young man—

5that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;

6to understand a proverb and parables,the words and riddles of the wise.

7The fear of the LORDis the beginning of knowledge,but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

8My son, listen to your father’s instruction,and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;

9for they will be a garland to grace your head,and chains around your neck.

10My son, if sinners entice you,don’t consent.

11If they say, “Come with us.Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.

12Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol,and whole, like those who go down into the pit.

13We’ll find all valuable wealth.We’ll fill our houses with plunder.

14You shall cast your lot among us.We’ll all have one purse”—

15my son, don’t walk on the path with them.Keep your foot from their path,

16for their feet run to evil.They hurry to shed blood.

17For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;

18but these lay in wait for their own blood.They lurk secretly for their own lives.

19So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain.It takes away the life of its owners.

20Wisdom calls aloud in the street.She utters her voice in the public squares.

21She calls at the head of noisy places.At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:

22“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?

23Turn at my reproof.Behold,I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.

24Because I have called, and you have refused;I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;

25but you have ignored all my counsel,and wanted none of my reproof;

26I also will laugh at your disaster.I will mock when calamity overtakes you,

27when calamity overtakes you like a storm,when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you.

28Then they will call on me, but I will not answer.They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,

29because they hated knowledge,and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD.

30They wanted none of my counsel.They despised all my reproof.

31Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,and be filled with their own schemes.

32For the backsliding of the simple will kill them.The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

33But whoever listens to me will dwell securely,and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”