Proverbs 1–9

The Purpose of Proverbs

1The proverbs of Solomon ^ason of David, king of Israel:

²For learning what wisdom and discipline are;

for understanding insightful sayings;

³for receiving wise instruction

in righteousness, justice, and integrity; ^b

⁴for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, ^cd

knowledge and discretion ^eto a young man—

⁵a wise man will listen and increase his learning, ^f

and a discerning man will obtain guidance—

⁶for understanding a proverb or a parable, ^g

the words of the wise, and their riddles. ^h

⁷The fear of the Lord

is the beginning of knowledge; ⁱ

fools despise wisdom and discipline. ^j

Avoid the Path of the Violent

⁸Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,

and don’t reject your mother’s teaching, ^k

⁹for they will be a garland ^lof grace on your head

and a gold chain around your neck. ^m

¹⁰My son, if sinners entice you, ⁿ

don’t be persuaded. ^o

¹¹If they say—“Come with us!

Let’s set an ambush ^pand kill someone. ^q

Let’s attack some innocent person ^rjust for fun! ^s

¹²Let’s swallow them alive, ^tlike Sheol,

still healthy as they go down to the Pit. ^u

¹³We’ll find all kinds of valuable property

and fill our houses with plunder. ^v

¹⁴Throw in your lot with us,

and we’ll all share our money” ^w—

¹⁵my son, don’t travel that road with them ^x

or set foot on their path, ^y

¹⁶because their feet run toward trouble

and they hurry to commit murder. ^za

¹⁷It is foolish to spread a net

where any bird can see it,

¹⁸but they set an ambush to kill themselves; ^b

they attack their own lives.

¹⁹Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly; ^c

it takes the lives of those who receive it. ^d

Wisdom’s Plea

²⁰Wisdom calls out in the street;

she raises her voice in the public squares. ^e

²¹She cries out above ^fthe commotion;

she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:

²²“How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?

How long will you mockers ^genjoy mocking

and you fools hate knowledge? ^h

²³If you respond to my warning, ^ij

then I will pour out my spirit on you ^k

and teach you my words.

²⁴Since I called out and you refused, ^l

extended my hand and no one paid attention, ^m

²⁵since you neglected all my counsel ⁿ

and did not accept my correction,

²⁶I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity. ^o

I will mock when terror strikes you,

²⁷when terror strikes you like a storm

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when trouble and stress overcome you.

²⁸Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;

they will search for me, but won’t find me. ^p

²⁹Because they hated knowledge,

didn’t choose to fear the Lord, ^q

³⁰were not interested in my counsel,

and rejected all my correction, ^r

³¹they will eat the fruit of their way ^s

and be glutted with their own schemes. ^t

³²For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them, ^u

and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

³³But whoever listens to me will live securely

and be free from the fear of danger.” ^v

Wisdom’s Worth

2My son, if you accept my words ^w

and store up my commands within you,

²listening closely ^xto wisdom

and directing your heart to understanding;

³furthermore, if you call out to insight

and lift your voice to understanding,

⁴if you seek it like silver

and search for it like hidden treasure, ^y

⁵then you will understand the fear of the Lord

and discover the knowledge of God.

⁶For the Lord gives wisdom;

from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. ^z

⁷He stores up success ^afor the upright;

He is a shield for those who live with integrity ^b

⁸so that He may guard the paths of justice

and protect the way of His loyal followers. ^c

⁹Then you will understand righteousness, justice,

and integrity—every good path.

¹⁰For wisdom will enter your mind,

and knowledge will delight your heart.

¹¹Discretion will watch over you,

and understanding will guard you, ^d

¹²rescuing you from the way of evil—

from the one who says perverse things,

¹³from those who abandon the right paths

to walk in ways of darkness, ^e

¹⁴from those who enjoy doing evil ^f

and celebrate perversion,

¹⁵whose paths are crooked, ^g

and whose ways are devious. ^h

¹⁶It will rescue you from a forbidden woman, ⁱ

from a stranger ^jwith her flattering talk, ^k

¹⁷who abandons the companion of her youth ^l

and forgets the covenant of her God;

¹⁸for her house sinks down to death

and her ways to the land of the departed spirits. ^m

¹⁹None return who go to her;

none reach the paths of life. ⁿ

²⁰So follow the way of good people, ^o

and keep to the paths of the righteous.

²¹For the upright will inhabit the land,

and those of integrity will remain in it; ^p

²²but the wicked will be cut off from the land, ^q

and the treacherous uprooted from it. ^r

Trust the Lord

3My son, don’t forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commands; ^s

²for they will bring you

many days, a full life, ^tuand well-being. ^v

³Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.

Tie them around your neck;

write them on the tablet of your heart. ^w

⁴Then you will find favor and high regard

in the sight of God and man. ^x

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart, ^y

and do not rely on your own understanding; ^z

⁶think about Him in all your ways,

and He will guide you on the right paths. ^ab

⁷Don’t consider yourself to be wise; ^c

fear the Lord and turn away from evil. ^d

⁸This will be healing for your body ^ef

and strengthening for your bones. ^g

⁹Honor the Lord with your possessions

and with the first produce of your entire harvest; ^h

¹⁰then your barns will be completely filled,

and your vats will overflow with new wine. ⁱ

¹¹Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son,

and do not loathe His discipline; ^j

¹²for the Lord disciplines the one He loves,

just as a father, the son he delights in. ^k

Wisdom Brings Happiness

¹³Happy is a man who finds wisdom ^l

and who acquires understanding,

¹⁴for she is more profitable than silver,

and her revenue is better than gold. ^m

¹⁵She is more precious than jewels; ⁿ

nothing you desire compares with her. ^o

¹⁶Long life ^pis in her right hand;

in her left, riches and honor. ^q

¹⁷Her ways are pleasant, ^r

and all her paths, peaceful.

¹⁸She is a tree of life ^sto those who embrace her,

and those who hold on to her are happy.

¹⁹The Lord founded the earth by wisdom ^t

and established the heavens by understanding.

²⁰By His knowledge the watery depths broke open, ^u

and the clouds dripped with dew. ^v

²¹Maintain your competence and discretion.

My son, don’t lose sight of them. ^w

²²They will be life for you ^xyz

and adornment ^afor your neck.

²³Then you will go safely on your way;

your foot will not stumble. ^b

²⁴When you lie ^cdown, you will not be afraid; ^d

you will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant.

²⁵Don’t fear sudden danger

or the ruin of the wicked when it comes, ^e

²⁶for the Lord will be your confidence ^f

and will keep your foot from a snare. ^g

Treat Others Fairly

²⁷When it is in your power, ^h

don’t withhold good ⁱfrom the one it belongs to.

²⁸Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go away! Come back later.

I’ll give it tomorrow”—when it is there with you. ^j

²⁹Don’t plan any harm against your neighbor, ^k

for he trusts you and lives near you.

³⁰Don’t accuse anyone without cause, ^l

when he has done you no harm.

³¹Don’t envy a violent man ^m

or choose any of his ways;

³²for the devious are detestable to the Lord,

but He is a friend ⁿto the upright. ^o

³³The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked, ^p

but He blesses the home of the righteous;

³⁴He mocks those who mock,

but gives grace to the humble. ^q

³⁵The wise will inherit honor,

but He holds up fools to dishonor. ^r

A Father’s Example

4Listen, my sons, to a father’s discipline, ^s

and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,

²for I am giving you good instruction. ^t

Don’t abandon my teaching.

³When I was a son with my father,

tender and precious to my mother,

⁴he taught me and said:

“Your heart must hold on to my words.

Keep my commands and live. ^u

⁵Get wisdom, get understanding; ^v

don’t forget or turn away from the words of my mouth.

⁶Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you;

love her, ^wand she will guard you.

⁷Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom.

And whatever else you get, get understanding. ^x

⁸Cherish her, and she will exalt you;

if you embrace her, she will honor you. ^y

⁹She will place a garland of grace on your head;

she will give you a crown of beauty.” ^z

Two Ways of Life

¹⁰Listen, my son. Accept my words, ^a

and you will live many years. ^b

¹¹I am teaching you the way of wisdom;

I am guiding you on straight paths. ^c

¹²When you walk, your steps will not be hindered; ^d

when you run, you will not stumble. ^e

¹³Hold on to instruction; don’t let go. ^f

Guard it, for it is your life.

¹⁴Don’t set foot on the path of the wicked; ^g

don’t proceed in the way of evil ones.

¹⁵Avoid it; don’t travel on it.

Turn away from it, and pass it by.

¹⁶For they can’t sleep

unless they have done what is evil;

they are robbed of sleep

unless they make someone stumble. ^h

¹⁷They eat the bread of wickedness

and drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, ⁱ

shining brighter and brighter until midday.

¹⁹But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; ^j

they don’t know what makes them stumble. ^k

The Straight Path

²⁰My son, pay attention to my words;

listen closely to my sayings. ^l

²¹Don’t lose sight of them; ^m

keep them within your heart.

²²For they are life to those who find them,

and health to one’s whole body.

²³Guard your heart above all else, ⁿ

for it is the source of life. ^o

²⁴Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly, ^p

and don’t let your lips talk deviously.

²⁵Let your eyes look forward;

fix your gaze ^qstraight ahead. ^r

²⁶Carefully consider the path ^sfor your feet, ^t

and all your ways will be established.

²⁷Don’t turn to the right or to the left; ^u

keep your feet away from evil.

Avoid Seduction

5My son, pay attention to my wisdom;

listen closely ^vto my understanding ^w

²so that you may maintain discretion

and your lips safeguard knowledge. ^x

³Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey

and her words are ^ysmoother than oil,

⁴in the end she’s as bitter as wormwood ^z

and as sharp as a…