Proverbs 1:8-33
English Standard Version
The Enticement of Sinners
8 (A)Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
and forsake not your mother's teaching,
9 for they are (B)a graceful garland for your head
and (C)pendants for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners (D)entice you,
do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us, (E)let us lie in wait for blood;
(F)let us ambush the innocent without reason;
12 like Sheol let us (G)swallow them alive,
and whole, like (H)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, (I)do not walk in the way with them;
(J)hold back your foot from their paths,
16 for (K)their feet run to evil,
and they make haste to shed blood.
17 (L)For in vain is a net spread
in the sight of any bird,
18 but these men (M)lie in wait for their own blood;
they (N)set an ambush for their own lives.
19 (O)Such are the ways of everyone who is (P)greedy for unjust gain;
(Q)it takes away the life of its possessors.
The Call of Wisdom
20 (R)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 (S)the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O (T)simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will (U)scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools (V)hate knowledge?
23 If you turn at my reproof,[a]
behold, I will (W)pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 (X)Because I have called and (Y)you refused to listen,
have (Z)stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have (AA)ignored all my counsel
and (AB)would have none of my reproof,
26 I also (AC)will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when (AD)terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like (AE)a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 (AF)Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they (AG)hated knowledge
and (AH)did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 (AI)would have none of my counsel
and (AJ)despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat (AK)the fruit of their way,
and have (AL)their fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by (AM)their turning away,
and (AN)the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but (AO)whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be (AP)at ease, without dread of disaster.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:23 Or Will you turn away at my reproof?
Proverbs 2:2-8
English Standard Version
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice (A)for understanding,
4 if you seek it like (B)silver
and search for it as for (C)hidden treasures,
5 then (D)you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For (E)the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is (F)a shield to those who (G)walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
and (H)watching over the way of his (I)saints.
Proverbs 3:1-7
English Standard Version
Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart
3 (A)My son, do not forget my teaching,
(B)but let your heart keep my commandments,
2 for (C)length of days and years of life
and (D)peace they will add to you.
3 Let not (E)steadfast love and (F)faithfulness forsake you;
(G)bind them around your neck;
(H)write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will (I)find favor and (J)good success[a]
in the sight of God and man.
5 (K)Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and (L)do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways (M)acknowledge him,
and he (N)will make straight your paths.
7 (O)Be not wise in your own eyes;
(P)fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:4 Or repute
Proverbs 3:21
English Standard Version
21 My son, (A)do not lose sight of these—
keep sound wisdom and discretion,
Proverbs 8:1-5
English Standard Version
The Blessings of Wisdom
8 Does not (A)wisdom call?
Does not (B)understanding raise her voice?
2 On (C)the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside (D)the gates in front of (E)the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O (F)men, I call,
and my cry is to (G)the children of man.
5 O (H)simple ones, learn (I)prudence;
O (J)fools, learn sense.
Proverbs 9:7
English Standard Version
7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
Proverbs 9:13-18
English Standard Version
The Way of Folly
13 (A)The woman Folly is (B)loud;
she is seductive[a] and (C)knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on (D)the highest places of the town,
15 calling to those who pass by,
who are (E)going straight on their way,
16 (F)“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks sense she says,
17 (G)“Stolen water is sweet,
and (H)bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know (I)that the dead[b] are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 9:13 Or full of simpleness
- Proverbs 9:18 Hebrew Rephaim
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.