Proverbs 1:1-33

ISV^{(i) 1} Introduction and PurposeThe proverbs of David’s son Solomon, king of Israel. ² These proverbs are for gaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; ³ for acquiring the discipline that produces wise behavior, righteousness, justice, and upright living; ⁴ for giving prudence to the naïve, and knowledge and discretion to the young. ⁵ Let the wise listen and increase their learning; let the person of understanding receive guidance ⁶ in understanding proverbs, clever sayings, words of the wise, and their riddles.
⁷ The Major ThemeThe fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
⁸ The Minor ThemeMy son, listen to your father’s instruction, and do not let go of your mother’s teaching. ⁹ They will be a graceful wreath for your head and a chain for your neck.
¹⁰ Avoid Evil CounselMy son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. ¹¹ If they say, “Come with us! Let’s lie in wait for blood; let’s ambush some innocent person for no reason at all. ¹² Let’s swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those who go down into the Pit. ¹³ We’ll find all kinds of valuable wealth, and we’ll fill our houses with spoil. ¹⁴ Throw your lot in with us, and all of us will have one purse.” ¹⁵ My son, do not go along with them, and keep your feet away from their paths! ¹⁶ For they run toward evil; these enticers shed blood without hesitation. ¹⁷ Look, it is useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds, ¹⁸ but these people lie in wait for their own blood. They ambush only themselves. ¹⁹ Such is the way of all those who seek illicit gain— it takes away the lives of those who possess it.
²⁰ The Benefits of Choosing WisdomWisdom cries out in the street; she raises her voice in the public squares. ²¹ She calls out at the busiest part of the noisy streets, and at the entrance to the gates of the city she utters her words: ²² “You naïve ones, how long will you love naiveté? And how long will scoffers delight in scoffing or fools hate knowledge?” ²³ Return to my correction! Look, I will pour out my spirit on you, and I will make my words known to you.
²⁴ The Consequences of Refusing Wisdom“Because I called out to you and you refused to respond— I appealed, but no one paid attention— ²⁵ because you neglected all my advice and did not want my correction, ²⁶ I will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when what you fear comes, ²⁷ when what you dread comes like a storm, and your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. ²⁸ “Then they will call out to me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. ²⁹ “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD; ³⁰ they did not want my advice, and they rejected all my correction. ³¹ They will eat the fruit of their way, and they will be filled with their own devices. ³² Indeed, the waywardness of the naïve will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. ³³ “But the person who listens to me will live safely and will be secure from the fear of evil.”