The Proverbs

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 1 -

Authorship. Purpose

(Proverbs 9:1-12)

Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

For knowing wisdom and instruction, || For understanding sayings of intelligence,

For receiving the instruction of wisdom, || Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,

For giving to simple ones—prudence, || To a youth—knowledge and discretion.

(The wise hear and increase learning, || And the intelligent obtain counsels.)

For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, || Words of the wise and their acute sayings.

Main theme. Warnings against violence

Fear of YHWH [is the] beginning of knowledge, || Fools have despised wisdom and instruction!

Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, || And do not leave the law of your mother,

For they [are] a graceful wreath to your head, || And chains to your neck.

My son, if sinners entice you, do not be willing.

If they say, “Come with us, we lay wait for blood, || We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,

We swallow them as Sheol—alive, || And whole—as those going down [to] the pit,

We find every precious substance, || We fill our houses [with] spoil,

You cast your lot among us, || One purse is—to all of us.”

My son! Do not go in the way with them, || Withhold your foot from their path,

For their feet run to evil, || And they hurry to shed blood.

Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.

And they lay wait for their own blood, || They watch secretly for their own lives.

So [are] the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, || It takes the life of its owners.

Warning against neglecting wisdom

Wisdom cries aloud in an out-place, || She gives forth her voice in broad places,

She calls at the head of the multitudes, || In the openings of the gates, || In the city she says her sayings:

“Until when, you simple, do you love simplicity? And have scorners desired their scorning? And do fools hate knowledge?

Turn back at my reproof, behold, || I pour forth my spirit to you, || I make known my words with you.

Because I have called, and you refuse, || I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,

And you slight all my counsel, || And you have not desired my reproof.

I also laugh in your calamity, || I deride when your fear comes,

When your fear comes as destruction, || And your calamity comes as a windstorm, || When adversity and distress come on you.

Then they call me, and I do not answer, || They seek me earnestly, and do not find me.

Because that they have hated knowledge, || And have not chosen the fear of YHWH.

They have not consented to my counsel, || They have despised all my reproof,

And they eat of the fruit of their way, || And they are filled from their own counsels.

For the turning of the simple slays them, || And the security of the foolish destroys them.

And whoever is listening to me dwells confidently, || And [is] quiet from fear of evil!”

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.