UNCG BSU: Proverbs

Proverbs 1

King James Version

The New Living Translation

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; 2To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; 3To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; 4To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. 5A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: 6To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
10My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. 11If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: 12Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: 13We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: 14Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: 15My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: 16For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. 17Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. 18And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. 19So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
20Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: 21She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, 22How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.
2 The purpose of these proverbs is to teach people wisdom and discipline, and to help them understand wise sayings. 3 Through these proverbs, people will receive instruction in discipline, good conduct, and doing what is right, just, and fair. 4 These proverbs will make the simpleminded clever. They will give knowledge and purpose to young people.
5 Let those who are wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. And let those who understand receive guidance 6 by exploring the depth of meaning in these proverbs, parables, wise sayings, and riddles.
7 Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline.

A Father’s Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom
8 Listen, my child, to what your father teaches you. Don’t neglect your mother’s teaching. 9 What you learn from them will crown you with grace and clothe you with honor.
10 My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! 11 They may say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Let’s ambush the innocent! 12 Let’s swallow them alive as the grave swallows its victims. Though they are in the prime of life, they will go down into the pit of death. 13 And the loot we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all kinds of things! 14 Come on, throw in your lot with us; we’ll split our loot with you.”
15 Don’t go along with them, my child! Stay far away from their paths. 16 They rush to commit crimes. They hurry to commit murder. 17 When a bird sees a trap being set, it stays away. 18 But not these people! They set an ambush for themselves; they booby-trap their own lives! 19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy for gain. It ends up robbing them of life.

Wisdom Shouts in the Streets
20 Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. 21 She calls out to the crowds along the main street, and to those in front of city hall. 22 “You simpletons!” she cries. “How long will you go on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools fight the facts? 23 Come here and listen to me! I’ll pour out the spirit of wisdom upon you and make you wise.
24 “I called you so often, but you didn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. 25 You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. 26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you—27 when calamity overcomes you like a storm, when you are engulfed by trouble, and when anguish and distress overwhelm you.
28 “I will not answer when they cry for help. Even though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me. 29 For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the Lord. 30 They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. 31 That is why they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way. They must experience the full terror of the path they have chosen. 32 For they are simpletons who turn away from me—to death. They are fools, and their own complacency will destroy them. 33 But all who listen to me will live in peace and safety, unafraid of harm.”

Intro 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Read Click the number to read that Proverb. Unread