1 T he proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

The proverbs (truths obscurely expressed, maxims, and parables) of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

2 T o know wisdom and instruction; To discern the words of understanding;

That people may know skillful and godly Wisdom and instruction, discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight,

3 T o receive instruction in wise dealing, In righteousness and justice and equity;

Receive instruction in wise dealing and the discipline of wise thoughtfulness, righteousness, justice, and integrity,

4 T o give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion:

That prudence may be given to the simple, and knowledge, discretion, and discernment to the youth—

5 T hat the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:

The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel —

6 T o understand a proverb, and a figure, The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

That people may understand a proverb and a figure of speech or an enigma with its interpretation, and the words of the wise and their dark sayings or riddles.

7 T he fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline.

8 M y son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:

My son, hear the instruction of your father; reject not nor forsake the teaching of your mother.

9 F or they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, And chains about thy neck.

For they are a chaplet (garland) of grace upon your head and chains and pendants for your neck.

10 M y son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not.

My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

11 I f they say, Come with us, Let us lay wait for blood; Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;

If they say, Come with us; let us lie in wait blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause;

12 L et us swallow them up alive as Sheol, And whole, as those that go down into the pit;

Let us swallow them up alive as does Sheol (the place of the dead), and whole, as those who go down into the pit;

13 W e shall find all precious substance; We shall fill our houses with spoil;

We shall find and take all kinds of precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder;

14 T hou shalt cast thy lot among us; We will all have one purse:

Throw in your lot with us and be a sworn brother and comrade; let us all have one purse in common—

15 M y son, walk not thou in the way with them; Refrain thy foot from their path:

My son, do not walk in the way with them; restrain your foot from their path;

16 F or their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood.

For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

17 F or in vain is the net spread In the sight of any bird:

For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird!

18 A nd these lay wait for their own blood; They lurk privily for their own lives.

But they are lying in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives.

19 S o are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; It taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain; such takes away the lives of its possessors.

20 W isdom crieth aloud in the street; She uttereth her voice in the broad places;

Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the markets;

21 S he crieth in the chief place of concourse; At the entrance of the gates, In the city, she uttereth her words:

She cries at the head of the noisy intersections; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

22 H ow long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?

How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? And the scoffers delight in scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

23 T urn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you; I will make known my words unto you.

If you will turn (repent) and give heed to my reproof, behold, I '> Wisdom] will pour out my spirit upon you, I will make my words known to you.

24 B ecause I have called, and ye have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man hath regarded;

Because I have called and you have refused, have stretched out my hand and no man has heeded it,

25 B ut ye have set at nought all my counsel, And would none of my reproof:

And you treated as nothing all my counsel and would accept none of my reproof,

26 I also will laugh in the day of your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when the thing comes that shall cause you terror and panic—

27 W hen your fear cometh as a storm, And your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; When distress and anguish come upon you.

When your panic comes as a storm and desolation and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.

28 T hen will they call upon me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me:

Then will they call upon me but I will not answer; they will seek me early and diligently but they will not find me.

29 F or that they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of Jehovah:

Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord,

30 T hey would none of my counsel; They despised all my reproof.

Would accept none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof,

31 T herefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own devices.

Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices.

32 F or the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, And the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.

For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.

33 B ut whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, And shall be quiet without fear of evil.

But whoso hearkens to me shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil.