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Proverbs 1
Complete Jewish Bible
Proverbs 1
Complete Jewish Bible
1 The proverbs of Shlomo the son of David,
king of Isra’el,
2 are for learning about wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words expressing deep insight;
3 for gaining an intelligently disciplined life,
doing what is right, just and fair;
4 for endowing with caution those who don’t think
and the young person with knowledge and discretion.
5 Someone who is already wise
will hear and learn still more;
someone who already understands
will gain the ability to counsel well;
6 he will understand proverbs, obscure expressions,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of Adonai is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8 My son, heed the discipline of your father,
and do not abandon the teaching of your mother;
9 they will be a garland to grace your head,
a medal of honor for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
don’t go along with them.
11 Suppose they say, “Come with us:
we’ll ambush somebody and kill him,
we’ll waylay some harmless soul, just for fun;
12 we’ll swallow him alive, like Sh’ol,
whole, like those who descend to the pit;
13 we’ll find everything he has of value,
we’ll fill our homes with loot!
14 Throw in your lot with us;
we’ll share a common purse” —
15 my son, don’t go along with them,
don’t set foot on their path;
16 Their feet run to evil,
they rush to shed blood.
17 For in vain is the net baited
if any bird can see it;
18 rather, they are ambushing themselves
to shed their own blood, waylaying themselves.
19 So are the ways of all greedy for gain —
it takes the lives of those who get it.
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the open air
and raises her voice in the public places;
21 she calls out at streetcorners
and speaks out at entrances to city gates:
22 “How long, you whose lives have no purpose,
will you love thoughtless living?
How long will scorners find pleasure in mocking?
How long will fools hate knowledge?
23 Repent when I reprove —
I will pour out my spirit to you,
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because you refused when I called,
and no one paid attention when I put out my hand,
25 but instead you neglected my counsel
and would not accept my reproof;
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your distress,
and mock when terror comes over you —
27 yes, when terror overtakes you like a storm
and your disaster approaches like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble assail you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will seek me earnestly, but they won’t find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of Adonai,
30 they refused my counsel
and despised my reproof.
31 So they will bear the consequences of their own way
and be overfilled with their own schemes.
32 For the aimless wandering of the thoughtless will kill them,
and the smug overconfidence of fools will destroy them;
33 but those who pay attention to me will live securely,
untroubled by fear of misfortune.”
Proverbs 1
English Standard Version
Proverbs 1
English Standard Version
The Beginning of Knowledge
1 (A)The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in (B)righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to (C)the simple,
knowledge and (D)discretion to the youth—
5 Let the wise hear and (E)increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
(F)the words of the wise and their (G)riddles.
7 (H)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Enticement of Sinners
8 (I)Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
and forsake not your mother's teaching,
9 for they are (J)a graceful garland for your head
and (K)pendants for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners (L)entice you,
do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us, (M)let us lie in wait for blood;
(N)let us ambush the innocent without reason;
12 like Sheol let us (O)swallow them alive,
and whole, like (P)those who go down to the pit;
13 we shall find all precious goods,
we shall fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in your lot among us;
we will all have one purse”—
15 my son, (Q)do not walk in the way with them;
(R)hold back your foot from their paths,
16 for (S)their feet run to evil,
and they make haste to shed blood.
17 (T)For in vain is a net spread
in the sight of any bird,
18 but these men (U)lie in wait for their own blood;
they (V)set an ambush for their own lives.
19 (W)Such are the ways of everyone who is (X)greedy for unjust gain;
(Y)it takes away the life of its possessors.
The Call of Wisdom
20 (Z)Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at (AA)the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O (AB)simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will (AC)scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools (AD)hate knowledge?
23 If you turn at my reproof,[a]
behold, I will (AE)pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 (AF)Because I have called and (AG)you refused to listen,
have (AH)stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have (AI)ignored all my counsel
and (AJ)would have none of my reproof,
26 I also (AK)will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when (AL)terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like (AM)a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 (AN)Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they (AO)hated knowledge
and (AP)did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 (AQ)would have none of my counsel
and (AR)despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat (AS)the fruit of their way,
and have (AT)their fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by (AU)their turning away,
and (AV)the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but (AW)whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be (AX)at ease, without dread of disaster.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:23 Or Will you turn away at my reproof?
Proverbs 1
New International Version
Proverbs 1
New International Version
Purpose and Theme
1 The proverbs(A) of Solomon(B) son of David, king of Israel:(C)
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](D)
knowledge and discretion(E) to the young—
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,(F)
and let the discerning get guidance—
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,(G)
the sayings and riddles(H) of the wise.[b](I)
7 The fear of the Lord(J) is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools[c] despise wisdom(K) and instruction.(L)
Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom
Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men
8 Listen, my son,(M) to your father’s(N) instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(O)
9 They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.(P)
10 My son, if sinful men entice(Q) you,
do not give in(R) to them.(S)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait(T) for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12 let’s swallow(U) them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;(V)
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(W)”—
15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot(X) on their paths;(Y)
16 for their feet rush into evil,(Z)
they are swift to shed blood.(AA)
17 How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18 These men lie in wait(AB) for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!(AC)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.(AD)
Wisdom’s Rebuke
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(AE)
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(AF) love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate(AG) 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(AH) to listen when I call(AI)
and no one pays attention(AJ) 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(AK) when disaster(AL) strikes you;
I will mock(AM) when calamity overtakes you(AN)—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster(AO) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(AP)
they will look for me but will not find me,(AQ)
29 since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.(AR)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,(AS)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(AT)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(AU)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(AV)
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(AW)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs denotes a person who is gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil.
- Proverbs 1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles
- Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.
- Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
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