-
Purpose and Theme
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
-
for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young—
-
for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
-
Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom
Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
-
My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them.
-
If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul;
-
let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
-
we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder;
-
cast lots with us; we will all share the loot”—
-
my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths;
-
for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood.
-
How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it!
-
Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it.
-
Wisdom’s Rebuke
Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square;
-
on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech:
-
“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
-
But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
-
since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke,
-
I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—
-
when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
-
since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord.
-
Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke,
-
they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
-
For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
-
but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
