Proverbs Chapter 1

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

1 : 2 to know wisdom and instruction, to discern the words of understanding,

1 : 3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness and justice and equity,

1 : 4 to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion,

1 : 5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsels,

1 : 6 to understand a proverb, and a figure, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

1 : 7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge. The foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

1 : 8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

1 : 9 For they shall be a garland of grace to thy head, and chains about thy neck.

1 : 10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

1 : 11 If they say, Come with us. Let us lay wait for blood. Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.

1 : 12 Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those who go down into the pit.

1 : 13 We shall find all precious substance. We shall fill our houses with spoil.

1 : 14 Thou shall cast thy lot among us. We will all have one bag.

1 : 15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them. Restrain thy foot from their path.

1 : 16 For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

1 : 17 For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird,

1 : 18 and these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.

1 : 19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain. It takes away the life of the owners of it.

1 : 20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the broad places.

1 : 21 She cries in the chief place of concourse, at the entrance of the gates, in the city. She utters her words:

1 : 22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, and fools hate knowledge?

1 : 23 Turn back at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you. I will make my words known to you.

1 : 24 Because I have called, and ye have refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man has regarded,

1 : 25 but ye have made all my counsel void, and want none of my reproof,

1 : 26 I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear comes,

1 : 27 when your fear comes as a storm, and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.

1 : 28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me,

1 : 29 because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Jehovah.

1 : 30 They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.

1 : 31 Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

1 : 32 For the backsliding of the simple shall kill them, and the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.

1 : 33 But he who hearkens to me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.