Proverbs 1–2

Purpose and Theme

1The proverbs^a of Solomon^b son of David, king of Israel:^c

²for gaining wisdom and instruction;

for understanding words of insight;

³for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,

doing what is right and just and fair;

⁴for giving prudence to those who are simple,^ad

knowledge and discretion^e to the young—

⁵let the wise listen and add to their learning,^f

and let the discerning get guidance—

⁶for understanding proverbs and parables,^g

the sayings and riddles^h of the wise.^bi

⁷The fear of the Lord^j is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools^c despise wisdom^k and instruction.^l

Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

⁸Listen, my son,^m to your father’sⁿ instruction

and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.^o

⁹They are a garland to grace your head

and a chain to adorn your neck.^p

¹⁰My son, if sinful men entice^q you,

do not give in^r to them.^s

¹¹If they say, “Come along with us;

let’s lie in wait^t for innocent blood,

let’s ambush some harmless soul;

¹²let’s swallow^u them alive, like the grave,

and whole, like those who go down to the pit;^v

¹³we will get all sorts of valuable things

and fill our houses with plunder;

¹⁴cast lots with us;

we will all share the loot^w”—

¹⁵my son, do not go along with them,

do not set foot^x on their paths;^y

¹⁶for their feet rush into evil,^z

they are swift to shed blood.^a

¹⁷How useless to spread a net

where every bird can see it!

¹⁸These men lie in wait^b for their own blood;

they ambush only themselves!^c

¹⁹Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;

it takes away the life of those who get it.^d

Wisdom’s Rebuke

²⁰Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,^e

she raises her voice in the public square;

²¹on top of the wall^d she cries out,

at the city gate she makes her speech:

²²“How long will you who are simple^f love your simple ways?

How long will mockers delight in mockery

and fools hate^g knowledge?

²³Repent at my rebuke!

Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,

I will make known to you my teachings.

²⁴But since you refuse^h to listen when I callⁱ

and no one pays attention^j when I stretch out my hand,

²⁵since you disregard all my advice

and do not accept my rebuke,

²⁶I in turn will laugh^k when disaster^l strikes you;

I will mock^m when calamity overtakes youⁿ—

²⁷when calamity overtakes you like a storm,

when disaster^o sweeps over you like a whirlwind,

when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

²⁸“Then they will call to me but I will not answer;^p

they will look for me but will not find me,^q

²⁹since they hated knowledge

and did not choose to fear the Lord.^r

³⁰Since they would not accept my advice

and spurned my rebuke,^s

³¹they will eat the fruit of their ways

and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.^t

³²For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,

and the complacency of fools will destroy them;^u

³³but whoever listens to me will live in safety^v

and be at ease, without fear of harm.”^w

Moral Benefits of Wisdom

2My son,^x if you accept my words

and store up my commands within you,

²turning your ear to wisdom

and applying your heart to understanding^y—

³indeed, if you call out for insight^z

and cry aloud for understanding,

⁴and if you look for it as for silver

and search for it as for hidden treasure,^a

⁵then you will understand the fear of the Lord

and find the knowledge of God.^b

⁶For the Lord gives wisdom;^c

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.^d

⁷He holds success in store for the upright,

he is a shield^e to those whose walk is blameless,^f

⁸for he guards the course of the just

and protects the way of his faithful ones.^g

⁹Then you will understand^h what is right and just

and fair—every good path.

¹⁰For wisdom will enter your heart,ⁱ

and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

¹¹Discretion will protect you,

and understanding will guard you.^j

¹²Wisdom will save^k you from the ways of wicked men,

from men whose words are perverse,

¹³who have left the straight paths

to walk in dark ways,^l

¹⁴who delight in doing wrong

and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,^m

¹⁵whose paths are crookedⁿ

and who are devious in their ways.^o

¹⁶Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,^p

from the wayward woman with her seductive words,

¹⁷who has left the partner of her youth

and ignored the covenant she made before God.^aq

¹⁸Surely her house leads down to death

and her paths to the spirits of the dead.^r

¹⁹None who go to her return

or attain the paths of life.^s

²⁰Thus you will walk in the ways of the good

and keep to the paths of the righteous.

²¹For the upright will live in the land,^t

and the blameless will remain in it;

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

and the unfaithful will be torn from it.^w