1:1 The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
1:2 To learn wisdom and moral instruction,
and to discern wise counsel.
1:3 To receive moral instruction in skillful living,
in righteousness, justice, and equity.
1:4 To impart shrewdness to the morally naive,
and a discerning plan to the young person.
1:5 (Let the wise also hear and gain instruction,
and let the discerning acquire guidance!)
1:6 To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable,
the sayings of the wise and their riddles.
1:7 Fearing the Lord is the beginning of moral knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
1:8 Listen, my child, to the instruction from your father,
and do not forsake the teaching from your mother.
1:9 For they will be like an elegant garland on your head,
and like pendants around your neck.
1:10 My child, if sinners try to entice you,
do not consent!
1:11 If they say, “Come with us!
We will lie in wait to shed blood;
we will ambush an innocent person capriciously.
1:12 We will swallow them alive like Sheol,
those full of vigor like those going down to the Pit.
1:13 We will seize all kinds of precious wealth;
we will fill our houses with plunder.
1:14 Join with us!
We will all share equally in what we steal.”
1:15 My child, do not go down their way,
withhold yourself from their path;
1:16 for they are eager to inflict harm,
and they hasten to shed blood.
1:17 Surely it is futile to spread a net
in plain sight of any bird,
1:18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood,
they ambush their own lives!
1:19 Such are the ways of all who gain profit unjustly;
it takes away the life of those who obtain it!
1:20 Wisdom calls out in the street,
she shouts loudly in the plazas;
1:21 at the head of the noisy streets she calls,
in the entrances of the gates in the city she utters her words:
1:22 “How long will you simpletons love naiveté?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
1:23 If only you will respond to my rebuke,
then I will pour out my thoughts to you
and I will make my words known to you.
1:24 However, because I called but you refused to listen,
because I stretched out my hand but no one paid attention,
1:25 because you neglected all my advice,
and did not comply with my rebuke,
1:26 so I myself will laugh when disaster strikes you,
I will mock when what you dread comes,
1:27 when what you dread comes like a whirlwind,
and disaster strikes you like a devastating storm,
when distressing trouble comes on you.
1:28 Then they will call to me, but I will not answer;
they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me.
1:29 Because they hated moral knowledge,
and did not choose to fear the Lord,
1:30 they did not comply with my advice,
they spurned all my rebuke.
1:31 Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way,
and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel.
1:32 For the waywardness of the
simpletons will kill them,
and the careless ease of fools will destroy them.
1:33 But the one who listens to me will live in security,
and will be at ease from the dread of harm.
2:1 My child, if you receive my words,
and store up my commands within you,
2:2 by making your ear attentive to wisdom,
and by turning your heart to understanding,
2:3 indeed, if you call out for discernment –
raise your voice for understanding –
2:4 if you seek it like silver,
and search for it like hidden treasure,
2:5 then you will understand how to fear the Lord,
and you will discover knowledge about God.
2:6 For the Lord gives wisdom,
and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
2:7 He stores up effective counsel for the upright,
and is like a shield for those who live with integrity,
2:8 to guard the paths of the righteous
and to protect the way of his pious ones.
2:9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity – every good way.
2:10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and moral knowledge will be attractive to you.
2:11 Discretion will protect you,
understanding will guard you,
2:12 to deliver you from the way of the wicked,
from those speaking perversity,
2:13 who leave the upright paths
to walk on the dark ways,
2:14 who delight in doing evil,
they rejoice in perverse evil;
2:15 whose paths are morally crooked,
and who are devious in their ways;
2:16 to deliver you from the adulteress,
from the sexually loose woman who speaks flattering words;
2:17 who leaves the husband from her younger days,
and forgets her marriage covenant made before God.
2:18 For her house sinks down to death,
and her paths lead to the place of the departed spirits.
2:19 None who go in to her will return,
nor will they reach the paths of life.
2:20 So you will walk in the way of good people,
and will keep on the paths of the righteous.
2:21 For the upright will reside in the land,
and those with integrity will remain in it,
2:22 but the wicked will be removed from the land,
and the treacherous will be torn away from it.
3:1 My child, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
3:2 for they will provide a long and full life,
and they will add well-being to you.
3:3 Do not let truth and mercy leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
3:4 Then you will find favor and good understanding,
in the sight of God and people.
3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding.
3:6 Acknowledge him in all your ways,
and he will make your paths straight.
3:7 Do not be wise in your own estimation;
fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
3:8 This will bring healing to your body,
and refreshment to your inner self.
3:9 Honor the Lord from your wealth
and from the first fruits of all your crops;
3:10 then your barns will be filled completely,
and your vats will overflow with new wine.
3:11 My child, do not despise discipline from the Lord,
and do not loathe his rebuke.
3:12 For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.
3:13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
and the one who obtains understanding.
3:14 For her benefit is more profitable than silver,
and her gain is better than gold.
3:15 She is more precious than rubies,
and none of the things you desire can compare with her.
3:16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
3:17 Her ways are very pleasant,
and all her paths are peaceful.
3:18 She is like a tree of life to those who obtain her,
and everyone who grasps hold of her will be blessed.
3:19 By wisdom the Lord laid the foundation of the earth;
he established the heavens by understanding.
3:20 By his knowledge the primordial sea was broken open,
and the clouds drip down dew.
3:21 My child, do not let them escape from your sight;
safeguard sound wisdom and discretion.
3:22 So they will give life to you,
and grace to adorn your neck.
3:23 Then you will walk on your way with security,
and you will not stumble.
3:24 When you lie down you will not be filled with fear;
when you lie down your sleep will be pleasant.
3:25 You will not be afraid of sudden disaster,
or when destruction overtakes the wicked;
3:26 for the Lord will be the source of your confidence,
and he will guard your foot from being caught in a trap.
3:27 Do not withhold good from those who need it,
when you have the ability to help.
3:28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go! Return tomorrow
and I will give it,” when you have it with you at the time.
3:29 Do not plot evil against your neighbor
when he dwells by you unsuspectingly.
3:30 Do not accuse anyone without legitimate cause,
if he has not treated you wrongly.
3:31 Do not envy a violent man,
and do not choose to imitate any of his ways;
3:32 for one who goes astray is an abomination to the Lord,
but he reveals his intimate counsel to the upright.
3:33 The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
3:34 Although he is scornful to arrogant scoffers,
yet he shows favor to the humble.
3:35 The wise inherit honor,
but he holds fools up to public contempt.