Proverbs 1

New International Version

Purpose and Theme

1 The proverbs^(A) of Solomon^(B) son of David, king of Israel:^(C)

²for gaining wisdom and instruction;
    for understanding words of insight;
³for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
    doing what is right and just and fair;
⁴for giving prudence to those who are simple,^[a]^(D)
    knowledge and discretion^(E) to the young—
⁵let the wise listen and add to their learning,^(F)
    and let the discerning get guidance—
⁶for understanding proverbs and parables,^(G)
    the sayings and riddles^(H) of the wise.^[b]^(I)

⁷The 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

⁸Listen, my son,^(M) to your father’s^(N) instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.^(O)
⁹They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.^(P)

¹⁰My son, if sinful men entice^(Q) you,
    do not give in^(R) to them.^(S)
¹¹If they say, “Come along with us;
    let’s lie in wait^(T) for innocent blood,
    let’s ambush some harmless soul;
¹²let’s swallow^(U) them alive, like the grave,
    and whole, like those who go down to the pit;^(V)
¹³we will get all sorts of valuable things
    and fill our houses with plunder;
¹⁴cast lots with us;
    we will all share the loot^(W)”—
¹⁵my son, do not go along with them,
    do not set foot^(X) on their paths;^(Y)
¹⁶for their feet rush into evil,^(Z)
    they are swift to shed blood.^(AA)
¹⁷How useless to spread a net
    where every bird can see it!
¹⁸These men lie in wait^(AB) for their own blood;
    they ambush only themselves!^(AC)
¹⁹Such 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

²⁰Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,^(AE)
she raises her voice in the public square;
²¹on 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?
²³Repent at my rebuke!
    Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
    I will make known to you my teachings.
²⁴But since you refuse^(AH) to listen when I call^(AI)
    and no one pays attention^(AJ) when I stretch out my hand,
²⁵since you disregard all my advice
    and do not accept my rebuke,
²⁶I in turn will laugh^(AK) when disaster^(AL) strikes you;
    I will mock^(AM) when calamity overtakes you^(AN)—
²⁷when 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)
²⁹since they hated knowledge
    and did not choose to fear the Lord.^(AR)
³⁰Since they would not accept my advice
    and spurned my rebuke,^(AS)
³¹they will eat the fruit of their ways
    and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.^(AT)
³²For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;^(AU)
³³but 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

Proverbs 26

New International Version

26 Like snow in summer or rain^(A) in harvest,
    honor is not fitting for a fool.^(B)
²Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
    an undeserved curse does not come to rest.^(C)
³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,^(D)
    and a rod for the backs of fools!^(E)
⁴Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
    or you yourself will be just like him.^(F)
⁵Answer a fool according to his folly,
    or he will be wise in his own eyes.^(G)
⁶Sending a message by the hands of a fool^(H)
    is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
⁷Like the useless legs of one who is lame
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.^(I)
⁸Like tying a stone in a sling
    is the giving of honor to a fool.^(J)
⁹Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.^(K)
¹⁰Like an archer who wounds at random
    is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
¹¹As a dog returns to its vomit,^(L)
    so fools repeat their folly.^(M)
¹²Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?^(N)
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.^(O)

¹³A sluggard says,^(P) “There’s a lion in the road,
    a fierce lion roaming the streets!”^(Q)
¹⁴As a door turns on its hinges,
    so a sluggard turns on his bed.^(R)
¹⁵A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.^(S)
¹⁶A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
    than seven people who answer discreetly.

¹⁷Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

¹⁸Like a maniac shooting
flaming arrows of death
¹⁹is one who deceives their neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”

²⁰Without wood a fire goes out;
    without a gossip a quarrel dies down.^(T)
²¹As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
    so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.^(U)
²²The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.^(V)

²³Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
    are fervent^[a] lips with an evil heart.
²⁴Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,^(W)
    but in their hearts they harbor deceit.^(X)
²⁵Though their speech is charming,^(Y) do not believe them,
    for seven abominations fill their hearts.^(Z)
²⁶Their malice may be concealed by deception,
    but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
²⁷Whoever digs a pit^(AA) will fall into it;^(AB)
    if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.^(AC)
²⁸A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
    and a flattering mouth^(AD) works ruin.