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Proverbs 1-3
Young's Literal Translation
Proverbs 1-3
Young's Literal Translation
1 Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,
3 For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,
4 For giving to simple ones -- prudence, To a youth -- knowledge and discretion.
5 (The wise doth hear and increaseth learning, And the intelligent doth obtain counsels.)
6 For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.
7 Fear of Jehovah [is] a beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and instruction fools have despised!
8 Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother,
9 For a graceful wreath [are] they to thy head, And chains to thy neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee be not willing.
11 If they say, `Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
12 We swallow them as Sheol -- alive, And whole -- as those going down [to] the pit,
13 Every precious substance we find, We fill our houses [with] spoil,
14 Thy lot thou dost cast among us, One purse is -- to all of us.'
15 My son! go not in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path,
16 For their feet to evil do run, And they haste to shed blood.
17 Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.
18 And they for their own blood lay wait, They watch secretly for their own lives.
19 So [are] the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, The life of its owners it taketh.
20 Wisdom in an out-place crieth aloud, In broad places she giveth forth her voice,
21 At the head of the multitudes she calleth, In the openings of the gates, In the city her sayings she saith:
22 `Till when, ye simple, do ye love simplicity? And have scorners their scorning desired? And do fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn back at my reproof, lo, I pour forth to you my spirit, I make known my words with you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,
25 And ye slight all my counsel, And my reproof ye have not desired.
26 I also in your calamity do laugh, I deride when your fear cometh,
27 When your fear cometh as destruction, And your calamity as a hurricane doth come, When on you come adversity and distress.
28 Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and find me not.
29 Because that they have hated knowledge, And the fear of Jehovah have not chosen.
30 They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,
31 And they eat of the fruit of their way, And from their own counsels they are filled.
32 For the turning of the simple slayeth them, And the security of the foolish destroyeth them.
33 And whoso is hearkening to me dwelleth confidently, And [is] quiet from fear of evil!'
2 My son, if thou dost accept my sayings, And my commands dost lay up with thee,
2 To cause thine ear to attend to wisdom, Thou inclinest thy heart to understanding,
3 For, if for intelligence thou callest, For understanding givest forth thy voice,
4 If thou dost seek her as silver, And as hid treasures searchest for her,
5 Then understandest thou fear of Jehovah, And knowledge of God thou findest.
6 For Jehovah giveth wisdom, From His mouth knowledge and understanding.
7 Even to lay up for the upright substance, A shield for those walking uprightly.
8 To keep the paths of judgment, And the way of His saints He preserveth.
9 Then understandest thou righteousness, And judgment, and uprightness -- every good path.
10 For wisdom cometh into thy heart, And knowledge to thy soul is pleasant,
11 Thoughtfulness doth watch over thee, Understanding doth keep thee,
12 To deliver thee from an evil way, From any speaking froward things,
13 Who are forsaking paths of uprightness, To walk in ways of darkness,
14 Who are rejoicing to do evil, They delight in frowardness of the wicked,
15 Whose paths [are] crooked, Yea, they are perverted in their ways.
16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, From the stranger who hath made smooth her sayings,
17 Who is forsaking the guide of her youth, And the covenant of her God hath forgotten.
18 For her house hath inclined unto death, And unto Rephaim her paths.
19 None going in unto her turn back, Nor do they reach the paths of life.
20 That thou dost go in the way of the good, And the paths of the righteous dost keep.
21 For the upright do inhabit the earth, And the perfect are left in it,
22 And the wicked from the earth are cut off, And treacherous dealers plucked out of it!
3 My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,
2 For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.
3 Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
4 And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
5 Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.
6 In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.
8 Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.
9 Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;
10 And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.
11 Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,
12 For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
13 O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth forth understanding.
14 For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold -- her increase.
15 Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.
16 Length of days [is] in her right hand, In her left [are] wealth and honour.
17 Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, And all her paths [are] peace.
18 A tree of life she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.
19 Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
20 By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.
21 My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
22 And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.
24 If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.
26 For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.
27 Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God to do [it].
28 Say not thou to thy friend, `Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.
29 Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.
31 Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.
32 For an abomination to Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.
33 The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.
34 If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.
35 Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!
Proverbs 1-3
New International Version
Proverbs 1-3
New International Version
Purpose and Theme
1 The proverbs(A) of Solomon(B) son of David, king of Israel:(C)
2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to those who are simple,[a](D)
knowledge and discretion(E) to the young—
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,(F)
and let the discerning get guidance—
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,(G)
the sayings and riddles(H) of the wise.[b](I)
7 The fear of the Lord(J) is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools[c] despise wisdom(K) and instruction.(L)
Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom
Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men
8 Listen, my son,(M) to your father’s(N) instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(O)
9 They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.(P)
10 My son, if sinful men entice(Q) you,
do not give in(R) to them.(S)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait(T) for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12 let’s swallow(U) them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;(V)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14 cast lots with us;
we will all share the loot(W)”—
15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot(X) on their paths;(Y)
16 for their feet rush into evil,(Z)
they are swift to shed blood.(AA)
17 How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18 These men lie in wait(AB) for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!(AC)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.(AD)
Wisdom’s Rebuke
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(AE)
she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[d] she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you who are simple(AF) love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate(AG) knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse(AH) to listen when I call(AI)
and no one pays attention(AJ) when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh(AK) when disaster(AL) strikes you;
I will mock(AM) when calamity overtakes you(AN)—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster(AO) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(AP)
they will look for me but will not find me,(AQ)
29 since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.(AR)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,(AS)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(AT)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(AU)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(AV)
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(AW)
Moral Benefits of Wisdom
2 My son,(AX) if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding(AY)—
3 indeed, if you call out for insight(AZ)
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,(BA)
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.(BB)
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;(BC)
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.(BD)
7 He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield(BE) to those whose walk is blameless,(BF)
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.(BG)
9 Then you will understand(BH) what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,(BI)
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.(BJ)
12 Wisdom will save(BK) you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
to walk in dark ways,(BL)
14 who delight in doing wrong
and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,(BM)
15 whose paths are crooked(BN)
and who are devious in their ways.(BO)
16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,(BP)
from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
and ignored the covenant she made before God.[e](BQ)
18 Surely her house leads down to death
and her paths to the spirits of the dead.(BR)
19 None who go to her return
or attain the paths of life.(BS)
20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,(BT)
and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked(BU) will be cut off from the land,(BV)
and the unfaithful will be torn from it.(BW)
Wisdom Bestows Well-Being
3 My son,(BX) do not forget my teaching,(BY)
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years(BZ)
and bring you peace and prosperity.(CA)
3 Let love and faithfulness(CB) never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.(CC)
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.(CD)
5 Trust in the Lord(CE) with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths(CF) straight.[f](CG)
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;(CH)
fear the Lord(CI) and shun evil.(CJ)
8 This will bring health to your body(CK)
and nourishment to your bones.(CL)
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits(CM) of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled(CN) to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.(CO)
11 My son,(CP) do not despise the Lord’s discipline,(CQ)
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,(CR)
as a father the son he delights in.[g](CS)
13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.(CT)
15 She is more precious than rubies;(CU)
nothing you desire can compare with her.(CV)
16 Long life is in her right hand;(CW)
in her left hand are riches and honor.(CX)
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.(CY)
18 She is a tree of life(CZ) to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.(DA)
19 By wisdom(DB) the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,(DC)
by understanding he set the heavens(DD) in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
21 My son,(DE) do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,(DF)
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
22 they will be life for you,(DG)
an ornament to grace your neck.(DH)
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,(DI)
and your foot will not stumble.(DJ)
24 When you lie down,(DK) you will not be afraid;(DL)
when you lie down, your sleep(DM) will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side(DN)
and will keep your foot(DO) from being snared.(DP)
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.(DQ)
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.(DR)
30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.
31 Do not envy(DS) the violent
or choose any of their ways.
32 For the Lord detests the perverse(DT)
but takes the upright into his confidence.(DU)
33 The Lord’s curse(DV) is on the house of the wicked,(DW)
but he blesses the home of the righteous.(DX)
34 He mocks(DY) proud mockers(DZ)
but shows favor to the humble(EA) and oppressed.
35 The wise inherit honor,
but fools get only shame.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs denotes a person who is gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil.
- Proverbs 1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles
- Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.
- Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners
- Proverbs 2:17 Or covenant of her God
- Proverbs 3:6 Or will direct your paths
- Proverbs 3:12 Hebrew; Septuagint loves, / and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child
New International Version (NIV) 
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