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To Know Wisdom

The (A)proverbs of Solomon (B)the son of David, king of Israel:

To know (C)wisdom and discipline,
To understand the sayings of (D)understanding,
To (E)receive discipline [a]that leads to insight,
(F)Righteousness, justice, and equity,
To give (G)prudence to the [b](H)simple,
To the youth (I)knowledge and discretion;
Let the wise man hear and (J)increase in learning,
And a (K)man of understanding will acquire guidance,
To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their (L)riddles.

(M)The fear of [c]Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge;
[d]Ignorant fools despise wisdom and discipline.

The Enticement of Sinners

(N)Hear, my son, your father’s discipline
And (O)do not abandon your mother’s [e]instruction;
For they are a (P)garland of grace for your head
And [f](Q)ornaments about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners (R)entice you,
(S)Do not be willing.
11 If they say, “Come with us,
Let us (T)lie in wait for blood,
Let us (U)ambush the innocent without cause;
12 Let us (V)swallow them alive like Sheol,
And whole, as those who (W)go down to the pit;
13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth,
We will fill our houses with spoil;
14 Cast in your lot [g]with us,
We shall all have one purse,”
15 My son, (X)do not walk in the way with them.
(Y)Withhold your feet from their pathway,
16 For (Z)their feet run to evil
And they hasten to shed blood.
17 For it is [h]no use that a net is spread
In the sight of any [i]bird;
18 But they (AA)lie in wait for their own blood;
They ambush their own [j]lives.
19 So are the paths of everyone who is (AB)greedy for gain;
It takes away the [k]life of its possessors.

The Call of Wisdom

20 (AC)Wisdom shouts in the street,
She gives forth her voice in the square;
21 At the head of the noisy streets she calls out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
22 “How long, O (AD)simple ones, will you love simplicity?
And (AE)scoffers delight in scoffing
And [l]fools (AF)hate knowledge?
23 Turn to my reproof,
Behold, I will (AG)pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because (AH)I called and you (AI)refused,
I (AJ)stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
25 And you (AK)neglected all my counsel
And were not (AL)willing to accept my reproof;
26 I will also (AM)laugh at your (AN)disaster;
I will mock when your (AO)dread comes,
27 When your dread comes like a storm
And your disaster comes like a (AP)whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will (AQ)call on me, but I will not answer;
They will (AR)seek me earnestly but they will not find me,
29 Because they (AS)hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of Yahweh.
30 They (AT)were not willing to accept my counsel,
They spurned all my reproof.
31 So they shall (AU)eat of the fruit of their way
And be (AV)satisfied with their own devices.
32 For the (AW)turning away of the simple will kill them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But (AX)he who listens to me shall dwell securely
And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:3 Lit of
  2. Proverbs 1:4 Or naive
  3. Proverbs 1:7 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
  4. Proverbs 1:7 One who lacks wisdom due to negligence or carelessness; so in Prov
  5. Proverbs 1:8 Or law
  6. Proverbs 1:9 Lit necklaces
  7. Proverbs 1:14 Lit in the midst of us
  8. Proverbs 1:17 Lit in vain
  9. Proverbs 1:17 Lit possessor of wing
  10. Proverbs 1:18 Lit souls
  11. Proverbs 1:19 Lit soul
  12. Proverbs 1:22 One who fails in wisdom due to willful sin

Yahweh Gives Wisdom

My son, if you will (A)receive my words
And (B)treasure my commandments within you,
(C)To make your ear pay attention to wisdom,
Incline your heart to discernment;
For if you call out for understanding,
Give your voice for discernment;
If you seek her as (D)silver
And search for her as for (E)hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the (F)fear of Yahweh
And find the knowledge of God.
For (G)Yahweh gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and discernment.
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright,
A (H)shield to those who walk in integrity,
To guard the paths of justice,
And He (I)keeps the way of His holy ones.
Then you will understand (J)righteousness and justice
And equity—every (K)good track.

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