44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,(A) 45 that you may be children(B) of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.(C)

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“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child(A) and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen,(B) a great people, too numerous to count or number.(C) So give your servant a discerning(D) heart to govern your people and to distinguish(E) between right and wrong. For who is able(F) to govern this great people of yours?”

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The Lord is good(A) to all;
    he has compassion(B) on all he has made.

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Wisdom’s Rebuke

20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(A)
    she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[a] she cries out,
    at the city gate she makes her speech:

22 “How long will you who are simple(B) love your simple ways?
    How long will mockers delight in mockery
    and fools hate(C) 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(D) to listen when I call(E)
    and no one pays attention(F) 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(G) when disaster(H) strikes you;
    I will mock(I) when calamity overtakes you(J)
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when disaster(K) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
    when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(L)
    they will look for me but will not find me,(M)
29 since they hated knowledge
    and did not choose to fear the Lord.(N)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
    and spurned my rebuke,(O)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
    and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(P)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(Q)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(R)
    and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(S)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners

Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

Listen, my son,(A) to your father’s(B) instruction
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(C)

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They are a garland to grace your head
    and a chain to adorn your neck.(A)

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18 For John came neither eating(A) nor drinking,(B) and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’(C) But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

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52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.(A)

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The true light(A) that gives light to everyone(B) was coming into the world.

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17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony:(A) He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons;(B) he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”(C)

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