Proverbs 1

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

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

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

To know wisdom and instruction; To discern the words of understanding;

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

To receive instruction in wise dealing, In righteousness and justice and equity;

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

To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion:

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

That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:

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

To understand a proverb, and a figure, The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

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

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:

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

For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, And chains about thy neck.

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

My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not.

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

If they say, Come with us, Let us lay wait for blood; Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;

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

Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, And whole, as those that go down into the pit;

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

We shall find all precious substance; We shall fill our houses with spoil;

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

Thou shalt cast thy lot among us; We will all have one purse:

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

My son, walk not thou in the way with them; Refrain thy foot from their path:

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

For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood.

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

For in vain is the net spread In the sight of any bird:

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

And these lay wait for their own blood; They lurk privily for their own lives.

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

So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; It taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

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

Wisdom crieth aloud in the street; She uttereth her voice in the broad places;

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

She crieth in the chief place of concourse; At the entrance of the gates, In the city, she uttereth her words:

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

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?

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

Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you; I will make known my words unto you.

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

Because I have called, and ye have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded;

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

But ye have set at nought all my counsel, And would none of my reproof:

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

I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

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

When your fear cometh as a storm, And your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; When distress and anguish come upon you.

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

Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me:

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

For that they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of Jehovah,

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

They would none of my counsel, They despised all my reproof.

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

Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own devices.

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

For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.

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

But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, And shall be quiet without fear of evil.