Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1 (New International Version)

Purpose and Theme

 ¹ The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:  ² for gaining wisdom and instruction;
   for understanding words of insight;
³ for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
   doing what is right and just and fair;
⁴ for giving prudence to those who are simple,^[a]
   knowledge and discretion to the young—
⁵ let the wise listen and add to their learning,
   and let the discerning get guidance—
⁶ for understanding proverbs and parables,
   the sayings and riddles of the wise.^[b]
 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
   but fools^[c] despise wisdom and instruction.

Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

 ⁸ Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
   and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
⁹ They are a garland to grace your head
   and a chain to adorn your neck.  ¹⁰ My son, if sinful men entice you,
   do not give in to them.
¹¹ If they say, “Come along with us;
   let’s lie in wait for innocent blood,
   let’s ambush some harmless soul;
¹² let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,
   and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
¹³ we will get all sorts of valuable things
   and fill our houses with plunder;
¹⁴ cast lots with us;
   we will all share the loot”—
¹⁵ my son, do not go along with them,
   do not set foot on their paths;
¹⁶ for their feet rush into evil,
   they are swift to shed blood.
¹⁷ How useless to spread a net
   where every bird can see it!
¹⁸ These men lie in wait for their own blood;
   they ambush only themselves!
¹⁹ Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
   it takes away the life of those who get it.

Wisdom’s Rebuke

 ²⁰ Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
   she raises her voice in the public square;
²¹ on top of the wall^[d] she cries out,
   at the city gate she makes her speech:  ²² “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
   How long will mockers delight in mockery
   and fools hate knowledge?
²³ Repent at my rebuke!
   Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
   I will make known to you my teachings.
²⁴ But since you refuse to listen when I call
   and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
²⁵ since you disregard all my advice
   and do not accept my rebuke,
²⁶ I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
   I will mock when calamity overtakes you—
²⁷ when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
   when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
   when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
 ²⁸ “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
   they will look for me but will not find me,
²⁹ since they hated knowledge
   and did not choose to fear the LORD.
³⁰ Since they would not accept my advice
   and spurned my rebuke,
³¹ they will eat the fruit of their ways
   and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
³² For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
   and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
³³ but whoever listens to me will live in safety
   and be at ease, without fear of harm.”