1:1 The Proverbs ¹  of ²  Solomon ³  son of David, ⁴  king of Israel: ⁵ 

1:2 To ⁶  learn ⁷  wisdom ⁸  and moral instruction, ⁹ 

and to discern ¹⁰  wise counsel. ¹¹ 

1:3 To receive ¹²  moral instruction ¹³  in skillful living, ¹⁴ 

in ¹⁵  righteousness, ¹⁶  justice, ¹⁷  and equity. ¹⁸ 

1:4 To impart ¹⁹  shrewdness ²⁰  to the morally naive, ²¹ 

and ²²  a discerning ²³  plan ²⁴  to the young person. ²⁵ 

1:5 (Let the wise also ²⁶  hear ²⁷  and gain ²⁸  instruction,

and let the discerning ²⁹  acquire ³⁰  guidance! ³¹ )

1:6 To discern ³²  the meaning of ³³  a proverb and a parable, ³⁴ 

the sayings of the wise ³⁵  and their ³⁶  riddles. ³⁷ 

1:7 Fearing the Lord ³⁸  is the beginning ³⁹  of moral knowledge, ⁴⁰ 

but ⁴¹  fools ⁴²  despise ⁴³  wisdom and instruction. ⁴⁴ 

1:8 Listen, ⁴⁵  my child, ⁴⁶  to the instruction ⁴⁷  from ⁴⁸  your father,

and do not forsake the teaching ⁴⁹  from ⁵⁰  your mother.

1:9 For they will be like ⁵¹  an elegant ⁵²  garland ⁵³  on ⁵⁴  your head,

and like ⁵⁵  pendants ⁵⁶  around ⁵⁷  your neck.

1:10 My child, if sinners ⁵⁸  try to entice ⁵⁹  you,

do not consent! ⁶⁰ 

1:11 If they say, “Come with us!

We will ⁶¹  lie in wait ⁶²  to shed blood; ⁶³ 

we will ambush ⁶⁴  an innocent person ⁶⁵  capriciously. ⁶⁶ 

1:12 We will swallow them alive ⁶⁷  like Sheol, ⁶⁸ 

those full of vigor ⁶⁹  like those going down to the Pit.

1:13 We will seize ⁷⁰  all kinds ⁷¹  of precious wealth;

we will fill our houses with plunder. ⁷² 

1:14 Join with us! ⁷³ 

We will all share ⁷⁴  equally in what we steal.” ⁷⁵ 

1:15 My child, do not go down ⁷⁶  their way, ⁷⁷ 

withhold yourself ⁷⁸  from their path; ⁷⁹ 

1:16 for they ⁸⁰  are eager ⁸¹  to inflict harm, ⁸² 

and they hasten ⁸³  to shed blood. ⁸⁴ 

1:17 Surely it is futile to spread ⁸⁵  a net

in plain sight of ⁸⁶  any bird, ⁸⁷ 

1:18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood, ⁸⁸ 

they ambush their own lives! ⁸⁹ 

1:19 Such ⁹⁰  are the ways ⁹¹  of all who gain profit unjustly; ⁹² 

it ⁹³  takes away the life ⁹⁴  of those who obtain it! ⁹⁵ 

1:20 Wisdom ⁹⁶  calls out ⁹⁷  in the street,

she shouts loudly ⁹⁸  in the plazas; ⁹⁹ 

1:21 at the head of the noisy ¹⁰⁰  streets she calls,

in the entrances of the gates in the city ¹⁰¹  she utters her words: ¹⁰² 

1:22 “How long will you simpletons ¹⁰³  love naiveté? ¹⁰⁴ 

How long ¹⁰⁵  will mockers ¹⁰⁶  delight ¹⁰⁷  in mockery ¹⁰⁸ 

and fools ¹⁰⁹  hate knowledge?

1:23 If only ¹¹⁰  you will respond ¹¹¹  to my rebuke, ¹¹² 

then ¹¹³  I will pour ¹¹⁴  out my thoughts ¹¹⁵  to you

and ¹¹⁶  I will make ¹¹⁷  my words known to you.

1:24 However, ¹¹⁸  because ¹¹⁹  I called but you refused to listen, ¹²⁰ 

because ¹²¹  I stretched out my hand ¹²²  but no one paid attention,

1:25 because ¹²³  you neglected ¹²⁴  all my advice,

and did not comply ¹²⁵  with my rebuke,

1:26 so ¹²⁶  I myself will laugh ¹²⁷  when disaster strikes you, ¹²⁸ 

I will mock when what you dread ¹²⁹  comes,

1:27 when what you dread ¹³⁰  comes like a whirlwind, ¹³¹ 

and disaster strikes you ¹³²  like a devastating storm, ¹³³ 

when distressing trouble ¹³⁴  comes on you.

1:28 Then they will call to me, but I will not answer;

they will diligently seek ¹³⁵  me, but they will not find me.

1:29 Because ¹³⁶  they hated moral knowledge, ¹³⁷ 

and did not choose to fear the Lord, ¹³⁸ 

1:30 they did not comply with my advice,

they spurned ¹³⁹  all my rebuke.

1:31 Therefore ¹⁴⁰  they will eat from the fruit ¹⁴¹  of their way, ¹⁴² 

and they will be stuffed full ¹⁴³  of their own counsel.

1:32 For the waywardness ¹⁴⁴  of the

simpletons will kill ¹⁴⁵  them,

and the careless ease ¹⁴⁶  of fools will destroy them.

1:33 But the one who listens ¹⁴⁷  to me will live in security, ¹⁴⁸ 

and will be at ease ¹⁴⁹  from the dread of harm.