Proverbs Chapter 1 The Proverbs
of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel To know wisdom and
instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction
in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity, to give
prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth. Let the wise hear and increase
in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance. to understand a proverb and a
saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of
the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Fools despise wisdom
and instruction. Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
and forsake not your mother's teaching. For they are a graceful
garland for your head, and pendants for your neck. My son, if sinners
entice you, do not consent. If they say, come with us, let
us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without
reason, Like Sheol, let us swallow them alive, and Hol, like those
who go down to the pit. We shall find all precious goods,
we shall fill our houses with plunder. Throw in your lot among
us, we will all have one purse. My son, do not walk in the way
with them. Hold back your foot from their
paths, For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to
shed blood. For in vain is a net spread in
the sight of any bird, But these men lie in wait for their own
blood, They set an ambush for their own lives. Such are the
ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain. It takes away
the life of its possessors. Wisdom cries aloud in the street. In the markets she raises her
voice. At the head of the noisy streets
she cries out. At the entrance of the city gates
she speaks. How long, O simple ones, will
you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight
in their scoffing, and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at
My reproof, behold, I will pour out My Spirit to you. I will
make My words known to you, because I have called and you refuse
to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded. Because you have ignored all
my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh
at your calamity. I will mock when terror strikes
you. when terror strikes you like
a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress
and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me,
but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently,
but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge,
and did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of
my counsel, and despised all my reproof. Therefore they shall
eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own
devices. For the simple are killed by
their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them. But whoever listens to me will
dwell secure, and will be at ease, without dread of disaster. you