Proverbs 1 - ESV Bible - The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of...

1 ¹The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2 To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight,

3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in ²righteousness, justice, and equity;

4 to give prudence to ³the simple, knowledge and ⁴discretion to the youth--

5 Let the wise hear and ⁵increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

6 to understand a proverb and a saying, ⁶the words of the wise and their ⁷riddles.

7 ⁸The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8 ⁹Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching,

9 for they are ¹⁰a graceful garland for your head and ¹¹pendants for your neck.

10 My son, if sinners ¹²entice you, do not consent.

11 If they say, "Come with us, ¹³let us lie in wait for blood; ¹⁴let us ambush the innocent without reason;

12 like Sheol let us ¹⁵swallow them alive, and whole, like ¹⁶those who go down to the pit;

13 we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder;

14 throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse"--

15 my son, ¹⁷do not walk in the way with them; ¹⁸hold back your foot from their paths,

16 for ¹⁹their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

17 ²⁰For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird,

18 but these men ²¹lie in wait for their own blood; they ²²set an ambush for their own lives.

19 ²³Such are the ways of everyone who is ²⁴greedy for unjust gain; ²⁵it takes away the life of its possessors.

20 ²⁶Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice;

21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at ²⁷the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

22 "How long, O ²⁸simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will ²⁹scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools ³⁰hate knowledge?

23 If you turn at my reproof,^a behold, I will ³¹pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.

24 ³²Because I have called and ³³you refused to listen, have ³⁴stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

25 because you have ³⁵ignored all my counsel and ³⁶would have none of my reproof,

26 I also ³⁷will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when ³⁸terror strikes you,

27 when terror strikes you like ³⁹a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.

28 ⁴⁰Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

29 Because they ⁴¹hated knowledge and ⁴²did not choose the fear of the LORD,

30 ⁴³would have none of my counsel and ⁴⁴despised all my reproof,

31 therefore they shall eat ⁴⁵the fruit of their way, and have ⁴⁶their fill of their own devices.

32 For the simple are killed by ⁴⁷their turning away, and ⁴⁸the complacency of fools destroys them;

33 but ⁴⁹whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be ⁵⁰at ease, without dread of disaster."

Proverbs 1 ESV