AB - Proverbs - 1

1:1  The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, who reigned in Israel:

1:2  to know wisdom and instruction, and to perceive words of understanding;

1:3  to receive also hard sayings, and to understand true justice, and how to direct judgment;

1:4  that he might give prudence to the simple, and to the young man discernment and understanding.

1:5  For by the hearing of these a wise man will be wiser, and a man of understanding will gain direction;

1:6  and will understand a parable, and an enigma; the saying of the wise also, and riddles.

1:7  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and there is good understanding to all that practice it: and godliness toward God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will nullify wisdom and instruction.

1:8  Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, and reject not the rules of your mother.

1:9  For you shall receive a crown of grace for your head, and a chain of gold around your neck.

1:10  My son, let not ungodly men lead you astray, neither shall you consent to them.

1:11  If they should exhort you, saying, Come with us, partake in blood, and let us unjustly hide the just man in the earth:

1:12  and let us swallow him alive, as Hades would, and remove the memorial of him from the earth:

1:13  let us seize on his valuable property, and let us fill our houses with spoils:

1:14  but cast in your lot with us, and let us all provide a common purse, and let us have one pouch:

1:15  go not in the way with them, let your foot turn aside from their paths:

1:17  for nets are not spread for the birds without cause.

1:18  For they that are concerned in murder store up evils for themselves; and the overthrow of transgressors is evil.

1:19  These are the ways of all that perform lawless deeds; for by ungodliness they destroy their own life.

1:20  Wisdom sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly.

1:21  And she makes proclamation on the top of the walls, and sits by the gates of princes; and at the gates of the city boldly says,

1:22  So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and have become subject to reproofs.

1:23  Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech.

1:24  Since I called, and you did not hear, and I spoke at length, and you gave no heed;

1:25  but you disdained my counsels, and disregarded my reproofs;

1:26  therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against you when ruin comes upon you:

1:27  yea when dismay suddenly comes upon you, and your overthrow shall arrive like a tempest; and when tribulation and distress shall come upon you, or when ruin shall come upon you.

1:28  For it shall be that when you call upon me, I will not listen to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find me.

1:29  For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord:

1:30  neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs.

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

1:32  For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly.

1:33  But he that listens to me shall dwell in confidence, and shall rest securely from all evil.