Proverbs 1:1–9:18

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

Wisdom Bestows Well-Being

3My son,^x do not forget my teaching,^y

but keep my commands in your heart,

²for they will prolong your life many years^z

and bring you peace and prosperity.^a

³Let love and faithfulness^b never leave you;

bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.^c

⁴Then you will win favor and a good name

in the sight of God and man.^d

⁵Trust in the Lord^e with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths^f straight.^ag

⁷Do not be wise in your own eyes;^h

fear the Lordⁱ and shun evil.^j

⁸This will bring health to your body^k

and nourishment to your bones.^l

⁹Honor the Lord with your wealth,

with the firstfruits^m of all your crops;

¹⁰then your barns will be filledⁿ to overflowing,

and your vats will brim over with new wine.^o

¹¹My son,^p do not despise the Lord’s discipline,^q

and do not resent his rebuke,

¹²because the Lord disciplines those he loves,^r

as a father the son he delights in.^bs

¹³Blessed are those who find wisdom,

those who gain understanding,

¹⁴for she is more profitable than silver

and yields better returns than gold.^t

¹⁵She is more precious than rubies;^u

nothing you desire can compare with her.^v

¹⁶Long life is in her right hand;^w

in her left hand are riches and honor.^x

¹⁷Her ways are pleasant ways,

and all her paths are peace.^y

¹⁸She is a tree of life^z to those who take hold of her;

those who hold her fast will be blessed.^a

¹⁹By wisdom^b the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,^c

by understanding he set the heavens^d in place;

²⁰by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,

and the clouds let drop the dew.

²¹My son,^e do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,^f

preserve sound judgment and discretion;

²²they will be life for you,^g

an ornament to grace your neck.^h

²³Then you will go on your way in safety,ⁱ

and your foot will not stumble.^j

²⁴When you lie down,^k you will not be afraid;^l

when you lie down, your sleep^m will be sweet.

²⁵Have no fear of sudden disaster

or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

²⁶for the Lord will be at your sideⁿ

and will keep your foot^o from being snared.^p

²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

when it is in your power to act.

²⁸Do not say to your neighbor,

“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—

when you already have it with you.^q

²⁹Do not plot harm against your neighbor,

who lives trustfully near you.^r

³⁰Do not accuse anyone for no reason—

when they have done you no harm.

³¹Do not envy^s the violent

or choose any of their ways.

³²For the Lord detests the perverse^t

but takes the upright into his confidence.^u

³³The Lord’s curse^v is on the house of the wicked,^w

but he blesses the home of the righteous.^x

³⁴He mocks^y proud mockers^z

but shows favor to the humble^a and oppressed.

³⁵The wise inherit honor,

but fools get only shame.

Get Wisdom at Any Cost

4Listen, my sons,^b to a father’s instruction;^c

pay attention and gain understanding.^d

²I give you sound learning,

so do not forsake my teaching.

³For I too was a son to my father,

still tender, and cherished by my mother.

⁴Then he taught me, and he said to me,

“Take hold^e of my words with all your heart;

keep my commands, and you will live.^f

⁵Get wisdom,^g get understanding;

do not forget my words or turn away from them.

⁶Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;^h

love her, and she will watch over you.ⁱ

⁷The beginning of wisdom is this: Get^a wisdom.

Though it cost all^j you have,^b get understanding.^k

⁸Cherish her, and she will exalt you;

embrace her, and she will honor you.^l

⁹She will give you a garland to grace your head

and present you with a glorious crown.^m”

¹⁰Listen, my son,ⁿ accept what I say,

and the years of your life will be many.^o

¹¹I instruct^p you in the way of wisdom

and lead you along straight paths.^q

¹²When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;

when you run, you will not stumble.^r

¹³Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;

guard it well, for it is your life.^s

¹⁴Do not set foot on the path of the wicked

or walk in the way of evildoers.^t

¹⁵Avoid it, do not travel on it;

turn from it and go on your way.

¹⁶For they cannot rest until they do evil;^u

they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.

¹⁷They eat the bread of wickedness

and drink the wine of violence.^v

¹⁸The path of the righteous^w is like the morning sun,^x

shining ever brighter till the full light of day.^y

¹⁹But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;^z

they do not know what makes them stumble.^a

²⁰My son,^b pay attention to what I say;

turn your ear to my words.^c

²¹Do not let them out of your sight,^d

keep them within your heart;

²²for they are life to those who find them

and health to one’s whole body.^e

²³Above all else, guard^f your heart,

for everything you do flows from it.^g

²⁴Keep your mouth free of perversity;

keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

²⁵Let your eyes^h look straight ahead;

fix your gaze directly before you.

²⁶Give careful thought to the^c paths for your feetⁱ

and be steadfast in all your ways.

²⁷Do not turn to the right or the left;^j

keep your foot from evil.

Warning Against Adultery

5My son,^k pay attention to my wisdom,

turn your ear to my words^l of insight,

²that you may maintain discretion

and your lips may preserve…