Aa
The Purpose of Proverbs
1The proverbs of Solomon1:1 1Kg 4:32; Pr 10:1; 25:1; Ec 12:9 son of David, king of Israel:
2For learning wisdom and discipline;
for understanding insightful sayings;
3for receiving prudent instruction
in righteousness, justice, and integrity;1:3 Pr 2:9
4for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,1:4 Or simple, or gullible1:4 Pr 8:5
knowledge and discretion1:4 Pr 2:11; 3:21 to a young man —
5let a wise person listen and increase learning,1:5 Pr 9:9; 16:21,23
and let a discerning person obtain guidance —
6for understanding a proverb or a parable,1:6 Or an enigma
the words of the wise, and their riddles.1:6 Nm 12:8; Jdg 14:12; Ps 49:4; Hab 2:6

7The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge;1:7 Jb 28:28; Ps 111:10; Pr 9:10; 15:33
fools despise wisdom and discipline.1:7 Eph 5:17
Avoid the Path of the Violent
8Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,1:8 Pr 6:20; 31:1
9for they will be a garland1:9 Pr 4:9 of favor on your head
and pendants1:9 Lit chains around your neck.1:9 Gn 41:42; Pr 6:21; Dn 5:29
10My son, if sinners entice you,1:10 Pr 16:29
don’t be persuaded.1:10 Ps 141:4
11If they say — “Come with us!
Let’s set an ambush1:11 Pr 12:6; Jr 5:26 and kill someone.1:11 Lit Let’s ambush for blood
Let’s attack some innocent person1:11 Ps 10:8 just for fun!1:11 Lit person for no reason
12Let’s swallow them alive,1:12 Ps 124:3 like Sheol,
whole, like those who go down to the Pit.1:12 Ps 28:1
13We’ll find all kinds of valuable property
and fill our houses with plunder.1:13 Pr 24:4
14Throw in your lot with us,
and we’ll all share the loot”1:14 Lit us; one bag will be for all of us —
15my son, don’t travel that road with them1:15 Ps 1:1; Pr 4:14
or set foot on their path,1:15 Ps 119:101; Pr 16:19
16because their feet run toward evil
and they hurry to shed blood.1:16 Pr 6:17–18; Is 59:7; Rm 3:15
17It is useless to spread a net
where any bird can see it,
18but they set an ambush to kill themselves;1:18 Lit they ambush for their blood
they attack their own lives.
19Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly;1:19 Pr 15:27; Ezk 22:27; Hab 2:6–12
it takes the lives of those who receive it.1:19 Lit takes the life of its masters
Wisdom’s Plea
20Wisdom calls out in the street;
she makes her voice heard in the public squares.1:20 Pr 8:1–3; 9:3
21She cries out above1:21 Lit at the head of the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
22“How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers1:22 Ps 1:1 enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?1:22 Jb 21:14; Pr 1:29; 5:12
23If you respond to my warning,1:23 Lit you turn back to my reprimand1:23 Pr 3:11; 15:5,31–32
then I will pour out my spirit on you1:23 Jl 2:28
and teach you my words.
24Since I called out and you refused,1:24 Is 65:12; 66:4; Jr 7:13; Zch 7:11
extended my hand and no one paid attention,1:24 Is 65:2; Rm 10:21
25since you neglected all my counsel1:25 Ps 107:11; Lk 7:30
and did not accept my correction,
26I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.1:26 Ps 2:4
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.1:28 1Sm 8:18
29Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,1:29 Pr 1:7
30were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,1:30 Pr 5:12; 15:5
31they will eat the fruit of their way1:31 Jr 6:19
and be glutted with their own schemes.1:31 Pr 14:14; 28:19
32For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them,1:32 Jr 2:19
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be undisturbed by the dread of danger.”1:33 Ps 112:7–8; Pr 3:24–26