Beginning
1 I, Solomon, David’s son and Israel’s king, pass on to you these proverbs—a treasury of wisdom—
2 So that you would recognize wisdom and value discipline;
that you would understand insightful teaching
3 And receive wise guidance to live a disciplined life;
that you would seek justice and have the ability to choose what is right and fair.
4 These proverbs teach the naive how to become clever;
they instruct the young in how to grow in knowledge and live with discretion.
5 The wise will pay attention to these words and will grow in learning,
and the discerning will receive divine guidance,
6 And they will be able to interpret the meaning of a proverb and a puzzle,
the twists and turns in the words of the wise and their riddles.
A strategic translation decision has been made to respect the historical situation of this book. In its original context, Proverbs is practical wisdom passed down from parents (especially fathers, see chapters 1–9) to young men who are preparing to enter a life of adult responsibilities: family, business, community leadership, and so on. Because of this relational aspect, we have retained masculine references when appropriate and have used more inclusive language when that was the intention of the original author. It is our greatest hope that God will use this work to remind fathers of the profound place they have in nurturing, instructing, and guiding the next generation.
7 Let us begin. The worship of the Eternal One, the one True God, is the first step toward knowledge.
Fools, however, do not fear God and cannot stand wisdom or guidance.
8 So, my son, pay attention to your father’s guidance,
and do not ignore what your mother taught you—
9 Wear their wisdom as a badge of honor and maturity,
as fine jewelry around your neck.
10 My son, should your less honorable peers pressure you to do what is wrong,
you should be strong enough not to go along.
11 If they should say,
Evildoers: Come on! Everyone, hide and let’s wait to see whom we can beat to a pulp.
We’re going to jump some unsuspecting chumps for no reason at all.
12 We’ll have our way with them, and when we’re through, there will be nothing left,
as if their bodies were swallowed whole by the grave’s dark pit.
13 We’ll take whatever we want—all their wealth and their fancy clothes—
and when we’re through, we’ll have piles of their treasure for our own.
14 You have to join us; forget about God.
We’re going to rake in the goods, and we’ll share all we take!
15 My son, do not join them;
keep well away from their violent, destructive paths.
16 For they run right away, every time, to do wrong,
and they are thirsty for blood.
17 You see, it makes no sense to bait the net and set the trap
while the bird is watching,
18 But these hiding in the shadows and waiting to spill innocent blood
are really just hastening their own destruction!
By giving in to their sinful desires,
they set themselves up to be ambushed.
19 This is what happens to everyone who tries to profit by violence;
violence will eventually rob them of their very lives.
Each generation faces strong peer pressure to follow the world’s ways, especially during adolescence. That pressure can twist an innocent young man inside out until he is nearly unrecognizable to those close to him. Once gang mentality takes over, that young man could easily find himself in unexpected and troublesome situations. Wisdom calls, and her voice is clear: Remember your parents’ instruction. Avoid violence and violent people. If you don’t, violence will find you.
20 There’s another voice in town.
It belongs to Lady Wisdom, who calls out in the street.
She cries out in the town square,
21 At the city gates, in the noisy city streets,
you can hear her speaking over the racket.
22 Lady Wisdom: You simple, naive people, how long will you love your feeble ways?
You simpletons, how long will you enjoy making fun of what you don’t understand?
You fools, how long will you hate learning what truly matters?
23 Turn to me and receive my gentle correction;
Watch and I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will share with you my wise words in order to redirect your lives.
24 You hear, but you have refused to answer my call.
My hands reached out, but no one noticed.
25 All my advice, all my correction, all have been neglected—
you wanted nothing of them.
26 So I will be the laughter you hear when misfortune comes, and it will come.
I will be the mocking sound when panic grips you—
27 When panic comes like a stormy blast,
when misfortune sweeps in like a whirlwind,
when sorrow and anguish weigh you down.
28 This is when they will call on me, but I will not respond;
they will be frantic to find me, but they won’t be able.
29 Because they despised knowledge of my ways,
and they also refused to respect and honor the Eternal,
30 Because they rejected my advice
and turned down my correction,
31 They will surely get what’s coming to them:
they’ll be forced to eat the fruit of their wicked ways;
they’ll gorge themselves on the consequences of their choices.
32 You see, it’s turning away from me that brings death to the simple,
and it’s self-satisfaction that destroys the fools.
33 But those who listen to me now will live under divine protection;
they can rest knowing they are out of harm’s way.
2 My son, if you accept what I am telling you
and store my counsel and directives deep within you,
2 If you listen for Lady Wisdom, attune your ears to her,
and engage your mind to understand what she is telling you,
3 If you cry out to her for insight
and beg for understanding,
4 If you sift through the clamor of everything around you
to seek her like some precious prize,
to search for her like buried treasure;
5 Then you will grasp what it means to truly respect the Eternal,
and you will have discovered the knowledge of the one True God.
6 The Eternal is ready to share His wisdom with us,
for His words bring true knowledge and insight;
7 He has stored up the essentials of sound wisdom for those who do right;
He acts as a shield for those who value integrity.
8 God protects the paths of those who pursue justice,
watching over the lives of those who keep faith with Him.
9 With this wisdom you will be able to choose the right road,
seek justice, and decide what is good and fair
10 Because wisdom will penetrate deep within
and knowledge will become a good friend to your soul.
11 Sound judgment will stand guard over you,
and understanding will watch over you as the Lord promised.
12 Wisdom will keep you from following the way of evildoers,
of those who twist words to pervert the truth,
13 Of those who reject the right road
for a darker, more sinister way of life,
14 Of those who enjoy evil
and pursue perverse pleasures,
15 Of those who journey down a crooked path,
constantly figuring out new ways to trick and deceive others.
16 Wisdom will pluck you from the trap of a seductive woman,
from the enticing propositions of the adulteress
17 Who chose to leave the husband of her youth,
to forget her sacred promises to her God;
18 For her house is on the road that leads to death,
and her path goes down to the shadowy pit.
19 Those who go to her will never return;
they will never again find their way back to true life.
20 As for you, you should walk like those who are good
and keep to the paths of those who love justice,
21 For those who live right will remain in the land
and those with integrity will endure here.
22 But not the wicked; they will be forced out and banned from this promised land,
and those who deal in deceit will be plucked up like weeds.
3 My son, always remember what I have taught you;
keep my instructions dear to your heart.
2 If you do, they will be your guide to
a long, healthy, prosperous life.
3 Stay focused; do not lose sight of mercy and truth;
engrave them on a pendant, and hang it around your neck;
meditate on them so they are written upon your heart.
4 In this way, you will win the favor of God and others,
and they will think well of you.
5 Place your trust in the Eternal; rely on Him completely;
never depend upon your own ideas and inventions.
6 Give Him the credit for everything you accomplish,
and He will smooth out and straighten the road that lies ahead.
7 And don’t think you can decide on your own what is right and what is wrong.
Respect the Eternal; turn and run from evil.
8 If you depend on Him, your body and mind will be free from the strain of a sinful life,
will experience healing and health,
and will be strengthened at their core.
9 Pay tribute to the Eternal in all of your affairs.
Honor Him with the best of what you make.
10 That way you will prosper to the fullest
and have plenty of food to eat and wine to drink.
11 My son, do not ignore the Eternal’s instruction
or lose heart when He steps in to correct you;
12 Because the Eternal proves His love by caring enough to discipline you,
just as a father does his child, his pride and joy.[a]
God knows well what He is doing. He has established rewards for living wisely: A happy, long life. A good reputation. Guidance when you need it most. Health. Success. Even, dare we say, fatherly discipline. These are just a few of the benefits accompanying God’s wisdom.
13 How fortunate are those who discover Lady Wisdom
and those who understand her ways!
14 For her worth is greater than the most expensive prize you could win.
Her profit is greater than the finest thing you could buy.
15 No gem is more precious than she is—
your most extravagant desire doesn’t come close to her.
16 She holds the secret of a long life in one hand
and riches and fame in her other hand.
17 Her ways are pleasant;
all of her pathways are peaceful.
18 She is like a tree that produces a satisfied life for anyone who can wrap their arms around her;
happiness waits for any who hold her tightly.
19 It was by wisdom that the Eternal fashioned the earth
and by understanding that He designed the heavens.
20 Through His knowledge, the deep was divided into seas and sky,
and the clouds understood when to let down the morning dew.
21 My son, never lose sight of God’s wisdom and knowledge:
make decisions out of true wisdom, guard your good sense,
22 And they will be life to your soul
and fine jewelry around your neck.
23 Then each one of your steps will land securely on your life’s journey,
and you will not trip or fall.
24 Your mind will be clear, free from fear;
when you lie down to rest, you will be refreshed by sweet sleep.
25 Stay calm; there is no need to be afraid of a sudden disaster
or to worry when calamity strikes the wicked,
26 For the Eternal is always there to protect you.
He will safeguard your each and every step.
27 Do not withhold what is good from those who deserve it;
if it is within your power to give it, do it.
28 Do not send your neighbor away, saying, “Get back with me tomorrow.
I can give it to you then,”
when what he needs is already in your hand.
29 Make no plans that could result in injury to your neighbor;
after all, he should be more secure because he lives near you.
30 Avoid fighting with anyone without good reason,
especially when no one has hurt you;
you have nothing to fight about.
31 Do not envy someone who profits at the expense of others
or copy any of his tyrannical ways,
32 For crooked people are detestable to the Eternal,
but those with integrity receive His counsel.
33 His curse lingers over the wicked and their families,
but He forever favors residence of those who do what is right.
34 God treats the arrogant as they treat others,
mocking the mockers, scorning the scornful,
but He pours out His grace on the humble.[b]
35 In the end, the wise will receive honor,
but fools will face humiliation.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.