A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

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A wise man will hear, and will increase learning;
and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

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a wise man will listen and increase his learning,(A)
and a discerning man will obtain guidance—

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That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;
And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:

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The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:

30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

to know wisdom and instruction;
to perceive the words of understanding;
to receive the instruction of wisdom,
justice, and judgment, and equity;
to give subtilty to the simple,
to the young man knowledge and discretion.
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning;
and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
to understand a proverb, and the interpretation;
the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
My son, hear the instruction of thy father,
and forsake not the law of thy mother:
for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head,
and chains about thy neck.

10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood,
let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
12 let us swallow them up alive as the grave;
and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
13 we shall find all precious substance,
we shall fill our houses with spoil:
14 cast in thy lot among us;
let us all have one purse:
15 my son, walk not thou in the way with them;
refrain thy foot from their path:
16 for their feet run to evil,
and make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
18 And they lay wait for their own blood;
they lurk privily for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain;
which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

20 Wisdom crieth without;
she uttereth her voice in the streets:
21 she crieth in the chief place of concourse,
in the openings of the gates:
in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?
and the scorners delight in their scorning,
and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn you at my reproof:
behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you,
I will make known my words unto you.

24 Because I have called, and ye refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 but ye have set at nought all my counsel,
and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 when your fear cometh as desolation,
and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind;
when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer;
they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 for that they hated knowledge,
and did not choose the fear of the Lord:
30 they would none of my counsel:
they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,
and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them,
and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely,
and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

The Purpose of Proverbs

The proverbs of Solomon(A) son of David, king of Israel:
For learning what wisdom and discipline are;
for understanding insightful sayings;
for receiving wise instruction
in righteousness, justice, and integrity;(B)
for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,[a](C)
knowledge and discretion(D) to a young man—
a wise man will listen and increase his learning,(E)
and a discerning man will obtain guidance—
for understanding a proverb or a parable,[b]
the words of the wise, and their riddles.(F)

The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge;(G)
fools despise wisdom and discipline.(H)

Avoid the Path of the Violent

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,(I)
for they will be a garland(J) of grace on your head
and a gold chain around your neck.(K)
10 My son, if sinners entice you,(L)
don’t be persuaded.(M)
11 If they say—“Come with us!
Let’s set an ambush(N) and kill someone.[c]
Let’s attack some innocent person(O) just for fun![d]
12 Let’s swallow them alive,(P) like Sheol,
still healthy as they go down to the Pit.(Q)
13 We’ll find all kinds of valuable property
and fill our houses with plunder.(R)
14 Throw in your lot with us,
and we’ll all share our money”[e]
15 my son, don’t travel that road with them(S)
or set foot on their path,(T)
16 because their feet run toward trouble
and they hurry to commit murder.[f](U)
17 It is foolish to spread a net
where any bird can see it,
18 but they set an ambush to kill themselves;[g]
they attack their own lives.
19 Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly;(V)
it takes the lives of those who receive it.[h]

Wisdom’s Plea

20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she raises her voice in the public squares.(W)
21 She cries out above[i] the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
22 “How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers(X) enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?(Y)
23 If you respond to my warning,[j](Z)
then I will pour out my spirit on you(AA)
and teach you my words.
24 Since I called out and you refused,(AB)
extended my hand and no one paid attention,(AC)
25 since you neglected all my counsel(AD)
and did not accept my correction,
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.(AE)
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will search for me, but won’t find me.(AF)
29 Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,(AG)
30 were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,(AH)
31 they will eat the fruit of their way(AI)
and be glutted with their own schemes.(AJ)
32 For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them,(AK)
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be free from the fear of danger.”(AL)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:4 Or simple, or gullible
  2. Proverbs 1:6 Or an enigma
  3. Proverbs 1:11 Lit Let’s ambush for blood
  4. Proverbs 1:11 Lit person for no reason
  5. Proverbs 1:14 Lit us; one bag will be for all of us
  6. Proverbs 1:16 Lit to shed blood
  7. Proverbs 1:18 Lit they ambush for their blood
  8. Proverbs 1:19 Lit takes the life of its masters
  9. Proverbs 1:21 Lit at the head of
  10. Proverbs 1:23 Lit back to my reprimand

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

To know wisdom and instruction;
To discern the words of understanding;
To receive instruction in wise dealing,
In righteousness and justice and equity;
To give prudence to the simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion:
That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;
And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:
To understand a proverb, and [a]a figure,
The words of the wise, and their [b]dark sayings.

The fear of Jehovah is the [c]beginning of knowledge;
But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
My son, hear the instruction of thy father,
And forsake not the [d]law of thy mother:
For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head,
And chains about thy neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee,
Consent thou not.
11 If they say, Come with us,
Let us lay wait for blood;
Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;
12 Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol,
[e]And whole, as those that go down into the pit;
13 We shall find all precious substance;
We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 [f]Thou shalt cast thy lot among us;
We will all have one purse:
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them;
Refrain thy foot from their path:
16 For their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed blood.
17 For in vain is the net spread
In the sight of any bird:
18 And these lay wait for their own blood;
They lurk privily for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain;
It taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

20 Wisdom crieth aloud in the street;
She uttereth her voice in the broad places;
21 She crieth [g]in the chief place of concourse;
At the entrance of the gates,
In the city, she uttereth her words:
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?
And scoffers delight them in scoffing,
And fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn you at my reproof:
Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you;
I will make known my words unto you.
24 Because I have called, and ye have refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel,
And would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh in the day of your calamity;
I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as [h]a storm,
And your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind;
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me [i]diligently, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge,
And did not choose the fear of Jehovah,
30 They would none of my counsel,
They despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way,
And be filled with their own devices.
32 For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them,
And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely,
And shall be quiet without fear of evil.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:6 Or, an interpretation
  2. Proverbs 1:6 Or, riddles
  3. Proverbs 1:7 Or, chief part
  4. Proverbs 1:8 Or, teaching
  5. Proverbs 1:12 Or, Even the perfect
  6. Proverbs 1:14 Or, Cast in thy lot
  7. Proverbs 1:21 Hebrew at the head of the noisy streets.
  8. Proverbs 1:27 Or, desolation
  9. Proverbs 1:28 Or, early