Proverbs 1
Amplified Bible
The Usefulness of Proverbs
1 The proverbs (truths obscurely expressed, maxims) of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2
To know [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction;
To discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight,
3
To receive instruction in wise behavior and the discipline of wise thoughtfulness,
Righteousness, justice, and integrity;
4
That prudence (good judgment, astute common sense) may be given to the naive or inexperienced [who are easily misled],
And knowledge and discretion (intelligent discernment) to the youth,
5
The wise will hear and increase their learning,
And the person of understanding will acquire wise counsel and the skill [to steer his course wisely and lead others to the truth],(A)
6
To understand a proverb and a figure [of speech] or an enigma with its interpretation,
And the words of the wise and their riddles [that require reflection].
7
The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence];
But arrogant [a]fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline.(B)
The Enticement of Sinners
8
My son, hear the instruction of your father,
And do not reject the teaching of your mother.
9
For they are a garland of grace on your head,
And chains and ornaments [of gold] around your neck.
10
My son, if sinners entice you,
Do not consent.(C)
11
If they say, “Come with us;
Let us lie in wait to shed blood,
Let us ambush the innocent without cause;
12
Let us swallow them alive like Sheol (the place of the dead),
Even whole, as those who go down to the pit [of death];
13
We will find and take all kinds of precious possessions,
We will fill our houses with spoil;
14
Throw in your lot with us [they insist];
We will all have one money bag [in common],”
15
My son, do not walk on the road with them;
Keep your foot [far] away from their path,
16
For their feet run to evil,
And they hurry to shed blood.
17
Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net
In the sight of any bird;
18
But [when these people set a trap for others] they lie in wait for their own blood;
They set an ambush for their own lives [and rush to their destruction].
19
So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;
Greed takes away the lives of its possessors.(D)
Wisdom Warns
20
[b]Wisdom shouts in the street,
She raises her voice in the markets;
21
She calls out at the head of the noisy streets [where large crowds gather];
At the entrance of the city gates she speaks her words:
22
“How long, O naive ones [you who are easily misled], will you love being simple-minded and undiscerning?
How long will scoffers [who ridicule and deride] delight in scoffing,
How long will fools [who obstinately mock truth] hate knowledge?
23
“If you will turn and pay attention to my rebuke,
Behold, I [Wisdom] will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.(E)
24
“Because I called and you refused [to answer],
I stretched out my hand and no one has paid attention [to my offer];(F)
25
And you treated all my counsel as nothing
And would not accept my reprimand,
26
I also will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when your dread and panic come,
27
When your dread and panic come like a storm,
And your disaster comes like a whirlwind,
When anxiety and distress come upon you [as retribution].
28
“Then they will call upon me (Wisdom), but I will not answer;
They will seek me eagerly but they will not find me,(G)
29
Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord [that is, obeying Him with reverence and awe-filled respect],(H)
30
They would not accept my counsel,
And they spurned all my rebuke.
31
“Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own [wicked] way
And be satiated with [the penalty of] their own devices.
32
“For the turning away of the [c]naive will kill them,
And the careless ease of [self-righteous] fools will destroy them.(I)
33
“But whoever listens to me (Wisdom) will live securely and in confident trust
And will be at ease, without fear or dread of evil.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:7 In Proverbs various kinds of fools are discussed including those who are closed-minded, over-confident, and reject instruction and correction—the unteachable; those who lack spiritual insight—the spiritually blind; and those who are flippant, hardened, and who deliberately choose to reject God and wisdom—the arrogant.
- Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom is personified as a woman in vv 20-33 and speaks, in the first person, of godly wisdom. Read the word “wisdom” as “the wisdom of God” and see the wonderful power of this book.
- Proverbs 1:32 Lit simple ones.
Proverbs 1
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
The Purpose of Proverbs
1 The proverbs of Solomon(A) son of David, king of Israel:
2 For learning wisdom and discipline;
for understanding insightful sayings;
3 for receiving prudent instruction
in righteousness, justice, and integrity;(B)
4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,[a](C)
knowledge and discretion(D) to a young man –
5 let a wise person listen and increase learning,(E)
and let a discerning person obtain guidance –
6 for understanding a proverb or a parable,[b]
the words of the wise, and their riddles.(F)
Avoid the Path of the Violent
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,(I)
9 for they will be a garland(J) of favour on your head
and pendants[c] round 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.[d]
Let’s attack some innocent person(O) just for fun![e]
12 Let’s swallow them alive,(P) like Sheol,
whole, like those who 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 the loot’[f] –
15 my son, don’t travel that road with them(S)
or set foot on their path,(T)
16 because their feet run towards evil
and they hurry to shed blood.(U)
17 It is useless 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 makes her voice heard 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, inexperienced 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 apostasy 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 undisturbed by the dread of danger.’(AL)
Footnotes
- 1:4 Or simple, or gullible
- 1:6 Or an enigma
- 1:9 Lit chains
- 1:11 Lit Let’s ambush for blood
- 1:11 Lit person for no reason
- 1:14 Litus; one bag will be for all of us
- 1:18 Lit they ambush for their blood
- 1:19 Lit takes the life of its masters
- 1:21 Lit at the head of
- 1:23 Lit you turn back to my reprimand
Proverbs 1
Contemporary English Version
How Proverbs Can Be Used
1 (A) These are the proverbs
of King Solomon of Israel,
the son of David.
2 Proverbs will teach you
wisdom and self-control
and how to understand
sayings with deep meanings.
3 You will learn what is right
and honest and fair.
4 From these, an ordinary person
can learn to be smart,
and young people can gain
knowledge and good sense.
5 If you are already wise,
you will become even wiser.
And if you are smart,
you will learn to understand
6 proverbs and sayings,
as well as words of wisdom,
and all kinds of riddles.
7 (B) Respect and obey the Lord!
This is the beginning
of knowledge.[a]
Only a fool rejects wisdom
and good advice.
Warnings against Bad Friends
8 My child, obey the teachings
of your parents,
9 and wear their teachings
as you would a pretty hat
or a lovely necklace.
10 Don't be tempted by sinners
or listen 11 when they say,
“Come on! Let's gang up
and kill somebody,
just for the fun of it!
12 They're well and healthy now,
but we'll finish them off
once and for all.
13 We'll take their valuables
and fill our homes
with stolen goods.
14 If you join our gang,
you'll get your share.”
15 Don't follow anyone like that
or do what they do.
16 They are in a big hurry
to commit some crime,
perhaps even murder.
17 They are like a bird
that sees the bait,
but ignores the trap.[b]
18 They gang up to murder someone,
but they are the victims.
19 The wealth you get from crime
robs you of your life.
Wisdom Speaks
20 (C) Wisdom[c] shouts in the streets
wherever crowds gather.
21 She shouts in the marketplaces
and near the city gates
as she says to the people,
22 “How much longer
will you enjoy
being stupid fools?
Won't you ever stop sneering
and laughing at knowledge?
23 Listen as I correct you
and tell you what I think.
24 You completely ignored me
and refused to listen;
25 you rejected my advice
and paid no attention
when I warned you.
26 “So when you are struck
by some terrible disaster,
27 or when trouble and distress
surround you like a whirlwind,
I will laugh and make fun.
28 You will ask for my help,
but I won't listen;
you will search,
but you won't find me.
29 No, you would not learn,
and you refused
to respect the Lord.
30 You rejected my advice
and paid no attention
when I warned you.
31 “Now you will eat the fruit
of what you have done,
until you are stuffed full
with your own schemes.
32 Sin and self-satisfaction
bring destruction and death
to stupid fools.
33 But if you listen to me,
you will be safe and secure
without fear of disaster.”
Footnotes
- 1.7 the beginning of knowledge: Or “what knowledge is all about.”
- 1.17 They are … trap: Or “Be like a bird that won't go for the bait, if it sees the trap.”
- 1.20 Wisdom: In the book of Proverbs the word “wisdom” is sometimes used as though wisdom were a supernatural being who was with God at the time of creation.
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