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Proverbs 1-3
New Life Version
Proverbs 1-3
New Life Version
Wise Sayings for Good Use
1 These are the wise sayings of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: 2 They show you how to know wisdom and teaching, to find the words of understanding. 3 They help you learn about the ways of wisdom and what is right and fair. 4 They give wisdom to the child-like, and much learning and wisdom to those who are young. 5 A wise man will hear and grow in learning. A man of understanding will become able 6 to understand a saying and a picture-story, the words of the wise and what they mean.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of much learning. Fools hate wisdom and teaching.
8 Hear your father’s teaching, my son, and do not turn away from your mother’s teaching. 9 For they are a glory to your head and a chain of beauty around your neck. 10 My son, if sinners try to lead you into sin, do not go with them. 11 If they say, “Come with us. Let us lie in wait to kill someone. Let us set a trap for those who are without blame. 12 Let us swallow them alive like death, as those who go down to the grave. 13 We will find all kinds of things of great worth. We will fill our houses with the stolen riches. 14 Throw in your share with us. We will all have one money bag.”
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path. 16 For their feet run to sin and hurry to kill. 17 Yes, the net is spread for nothing if the bird is watching. 18 They set traps for their own lives and wait to die. 19 Such are the ways of all who get things by hurting others. Their desire for stolen riches takes away their own lives.
20 Wisdom calls out in the street. She lifts her voice in the center of town. 21 There she cries out in the noisy streets. At the open gates of the city she speaks: 22 “O foolish ones, how long will you love being foolish? How long will those who laugh at others be happy in their laughing? How long will fools hate much learning? 23 Listen to my strong words! See, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make my words known to you. 24 I called but you would not listen. I put out my hand and no one gave it a thought. 25 You did not listen when I told you what you should do, and you would not hear any of my strong words. 26 So I will laugh at your trouble. I will laugh when you are afraid. 27 Fear will come to you like a storm. Hard times will come like a strong wind. When trouble and suffering come upon you, 28 then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will look for me, but they will not find me. 29 Because they hated much learning, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. 30 They would not listen when I told them what they should do. They laughed at all my strong words. 31 So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own plans. 32 For the foolish will be killed by their turning away. The trust that fools put in themselves will destroy them. 33 But he who listens to me will live free from danger, and he will rest easy from the fear of what is sinful.”
Wisdom Brings Safety
2 My son, if you receive my sayings and store up my teachings within you, 2 make your ear open to wisdom. Turn your heart to understanding. 3 If you cry out to know right from wrong, and lift your voice for understanding; 4 if you look for her as silver, and look for her as hidden riches; 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find what is known of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom. Much learning and understanding come from His mouth. 7 He stores up perfect wisdom for those who are right with Him. He is a safe-covering to those who are right in their walk. 8 He watches over the right way, and He keeps safe the way of those who belong to Him. 9 Then you will understand what is right and good, and right from wrong, and you will know what you should do. 10 For wisdom will come into your heart. And much learning will be pleasing to your soul. 11 Good thinking will keep you safe. Understanding will watch over you. 12 You will be kept from the sinful man, and from the man who causes much trouble by what he says. 13 You will be kept from the man who leaves the right way to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 from the one who is happy doing wrong, and who finds joy in the way of sin. 15 His ways are not straight and are not good.
16 You will be saved from the strange woman, from the sinful woman with her smooth words. 17 She leaves the husband she had when she was young, and forgets the agreement with her God. 18 For her house goes down to death, and her steps lead to the dead. 19 None who go to her return again, and they do not find the paths of life.
20 So may you walk in the way of good men, and keep to the paths of those who are right and good. 21 For those who are right with God will live in the land. The men without blame will stay in it, 22 but the sinful will be destroyed from the land, and those who are not faithful will be taken away from it.
The Reward That Comes from Following Wisdom
3 My son, do not forget my teaching. Let your heart keep my words. 2 For they will add to you many days and years of life and peace. 3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you. Tie them around your neck. Write them upon your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good understanding in the eyes of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not trust in your own understanding. 6 Agree with Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and turn away from what is sinful. 8 It will be healing to your body and medicine to your bones. 9 Honor the Lord with your riches, and with the first of all you grow. 10 Then your store-houses will be filled with many good things and your barrels will flow over with new wine. 11 My son, listen when the Lord punishes you. Do not give up when He tells you what you must do. 12 The Lord punishes everyone He loves. He whips every son He receives.
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding. 14 For it is better than getting silver and fine gold. 15 She is worth more than stones of great worth. Nothing you can wish for compares with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand. Riches and honor are in her left hand. 17 Her ways are pleasing, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her. Happy are all who hold her near. 19 The Lord built the earth by wisdom. He built the heavens by understanding. 20 By what He knows, the seas were broken up and water falls from the sky.
21 My son, do not allow them to leave your eyes. Keep perfect wisdom and careful thinking. 22 And they will be life to your soul and a chain of beauty to your neck. 23 Then you will be safe as you walk on your way, and your foot will not trip. 24 You will not be afraid when you lie down. When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of fear that comes all at once. And do not be afraid of the storm of the sinful when it comes. 26 For the Lord will be your trust. He will keep your foot from being caught.
27 Do not keep good from those who should have it, when it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and return tomorrow, and I will give it,” when you have it with you. 29 Do not plan for your neighbor to be hurt, while he trusts you enough to live beside you. 30 Do not fight with a man for no reason, when he has done you no wrong. 31 Do not be jealous of a man who hurts others, and do not choose any of his ways. 32 For the bad man is hated by the Lord, but He is near to those who are right with Him. 33 The punishment of the Lord is on the house of the sinful, but He makes good come to the house of those who are right with Him. 34 God makes fun of those who make fun of the truth but gives loving-favor to those who have no pride. 35 Honor will be given to the wise, but shame will be given to fools.
Proverbs 1-3
New International Version
Proverbs 1-3
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)
Moral Benefits of Wisdom
2 My son,(AX) if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding(AY)—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight(AZ)
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,(BA)
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.(BB)
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;(BC)
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.(BD)
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield(BE) to those whose walk is blameless,(BF)
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.(BG)
9 Then you will understand(BH) what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,(BI)
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.(BJ)
12 Wisdom will save(BK) you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
to walk in dark ways,(BL)
14 who delight in doing wrong
and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,(BM)
15 whose paths are crooked(BN)
and who are devious in their ways.(BO)
16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,(BP)
from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
and ignored the covenant she made before God.[e](BQ)
18 Surely her house leads down to death
and her paths to the spirits of the dead.(BR)
19 None who go to her return
or attain the paths of life.(BS)
20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,(BT)
and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked(BU) will be cut off from the land,(BV)
and the unfaithful will be torn from it.(BW)
Wisdom Bestows Well-Being
3 My son,(BX) do not forget my teaching,(BY)
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years(BZ)
and bring you peace and prosperity.(CA)
3 Let love and faithfulness(CB) never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.(CC)
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.(CD)
5 Trust in the Lord(CE) with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths(CF) straight.[f](CG)
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;(CH)
fear the Lord(CI) and shun evil.(CJ)
8 This will bring health to your body(CK)
and nourishment to your bones.(CL)
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits(CM) of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled(CN) to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.(CO)
11 My son,(CP) do not despise the Lord’s discipline,(CQ)
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,(CR)
as a father the son he delights in.[g](CS)
13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.(CT)
15 She is more precious than rubies;(CU)
nothing you desire can compare with her.(CV)
16 Long life is in her right hand;(CW)
in her left hand are riches and honor.(CX)
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.(CY)
18 She is a tree of life(CZ) to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.(DA)
19 By wisdom(DB) the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,(DC)
by understanding he set the heavens(DD) in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
21 My son,(DE) do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,(DF)
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,(DG)
an ornament to grace your neck.(DH)
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,(DI)
and your foot will not stumble.(DJ)
24 When you lie down,(DK) you will not be afraid;(DL)
when you lie down, your sleep(DM) will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side(DN)
and will keep your foot(DO) from being snared.(DP)
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.(DQ)
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.(DR)
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.
31 Do not envy(DS) the violent
or choose any of their ways.
32 For the Lord detests the perverse(DT)
but takes the upright into his confidence.(DU)
33 The Lord’s curse(DV) is on the house of the wicked,(DW)
but he blesses the home of the righteous.(DX)
34 He mocks(DY) proud mockers(DZ)
but shows favor to the humble(EA) and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools get only shame.
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
- Proverbs 2:17 Or covenant of her God
- Proverbs 3:6 Or will direct your paths
- Proverbs 3:12 Hebrew; Septuagint loves, / and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child
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