The Proverbs

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- Chapter 1 -

Authorship. Purpose

(Proverbs 9:1-12)

These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,

for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,

and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.

To impart prudence to the simple

(a)

and knowledge and discretion to the young,

let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel

by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.

Main theme. Warnings against violence

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools (b) despise wisdom and discipline.

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.

For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.

My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.

If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,

let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit.

We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.

Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—

my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.

For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.

How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!

But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.

Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.

Warning against neglecting wisdom

Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;

in the main concourse

(c)

she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:

“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?

If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.

Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,

because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,

in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,

when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.

Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.

For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.

They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.

So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”

Footnotes

(a)1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs refers to one who is naive, without moral direction, or inclined to evil.

(b)1:7 The Hebrew words rendered as fool in Proverbs denote one who is morally deficient.

Authorship. Purpose

(Proverbs 9:1-12)

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

to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;

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

to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—

that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;

to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.

Main theme. Warnings against violence

The fear of the LORD

(a)

is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;

for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.

My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.

If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.

Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol,(b) and whole, like those who go down into the pit.

We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.

You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse”—

my son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,

for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.

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

but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.

So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.

Warning against neglecting wisdom

Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.

She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:

“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?

Turn at my reproof. Behold,(c) I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.

Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;

but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;

I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you,

when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you.

Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,

because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD.

They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.

Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.

For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Footnotes

(a)1:7 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

(b)1:12 Sheol is the place of the dead.

(c)1:23 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.