LITV - Proverbs - 1

1:1  The Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

1:2  To know wisdom and instruction; to understand the words of understanding;

1:3  to receive instruction in prudence, justice, and judgment, and uprightness;

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

1:5  The wise hears and increases learning, and the understanding ones gets wise counsel,

1:6  to understand a proverb and an enigma; the words of the wise, and their acute sayings.

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

1:8  My son, hear your father's instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother;

1:9  for they shall be an ornament of grace to your head, and chains for your neck.

1:10  My son, if sinners lure you, do not be willing.

1:11  If they say, Walk with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us secretly lurk 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 goods; we shall fill our houses with plunder;

1:14  cast in your lot among us; one purse shall be to all of us.

1:15  My son, do not walk in the way with them! Hold back your foot from their path;

1:16  for their feet run to evil and they haste to shed blood.

1:17  For in vain the net is spread in the sight of every bird.

1:18  And they lie in wait for their own blood; they lurk secretly for their own souls.

1:19  So are the ways of everyone who gets unjust gain; it takes away its owner's soul.

1:20  Wisdom cries aloud outside; she gives her voice in the square;

1:21  she calls at the head of gathering places; in the opening of the gates, in the city she utters her words:

1:22  How long will you love to be simple, you simple ones? And will scorners desire scorn for themselves? And will fools hate knowledge?

1:23  Turn back at my warning; behold, I will pour out my Spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.

1:24  Because I called, and you refused; I stretch out a hand, and none inclines,

1:25  but you have ignored all my counsel, and you did not desire my warning.

1:26  I also will laugh in your calamity, I will mock when your dread comes;

1:27  when your dread comes like a storm; and your calamity arrives like a tempest, when distress and constraint come on you.

1:28  Then they shall call on me, and I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.

1:29  Instead they hated knowledge and chose not the fear of Jehovah.

1:30  They did not want my counsel; they despised all my reproof,

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

1:32  For the going astray of the simple kills them, and the ease of fools destroys them.

1:33  But he who listens to me shall live securely and shall be at ease from the dread of evil.