Proverbs (Messale)
Chapter 1 of 26
1The proverbs of Solomon son of David, who reigned over Israel in Jerusalem. 2They are for knowing wisdom and discipline, and for understanding words of wisdom, 3for grasping subtle sayings, and for knowing true righteousness, 4for setting justice straight, to give wisdom to the simple and knowledge and understanding to children and young men. 5When a wise man hears these things, he adds to his wisdom. 6And whoever gains guidance will understand a proverb and hidden speech, the sayings of the wise, in an instant. 7The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD, and good understanding belongs to all who practice it. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but the wicked despise wisdom and discipline. 8Listen, my son, to your father's instruction, and do not reject your mother's teaching. 9You will receive a crown of honor for your head and a chain of gold for your neck. 10My son, do not let wicked men lead you astray. Do not give in if they urge you, saying, "Come, share in bloodshed with us. 11Let us bury a righteous man in the ground for no reason. 12Let us swallow him alive like Sheol and wipe his memory from the earth. 13We will gather great wealth and fill our houses with plunder. 14Join us. We will all share one purse and one food bag." 15My son, do not go along the road with them. 16Keep your feet away from their tracks, for their feet run to evil and they hurry to shed blood. 17For it is not for nothing that snares are set for men. 18Those who have grown used to killing store up evil for themselves, and the downfall of sinful men is evil. 19These are the ways of all who commit sins, and greed destroys the lives of its own. 20Wisdom is praised in the streets, and she raises her voice in the squares. 21She calls out from the tops of the walls, she stands at the gates of the mighty, and at the city gates she speaks boldly: 22"As long as the innocent hold to righteousness, they will not be put to shame. 23But you wicked, how long will you love error? Fools are lovers of insolence. Being wicked, they hate knowledge, and they have become vile toward those who correct them. Why do you turn away from my rebuke? 24Look, I will tell you the breath of my word and teach you my speech. 25I called, and you did not answer me. I stretched out my hands, and you did not listen to me. 26I spoke at length, and you paid no attention. You treated my command as worthless and ignored my rebuke. 27So I in turn will laugh at your ruin and rejoice when sudden disaster comes on you, 28when terror comes on you suddenly, when destruction sweeps in like a storm to trap you, when distress and siege come on you. I will be there. 29When you call on me, I will not hear you. The wicked will look for me and will not find me, 30because they hated wisdom and refused to listen to the word of the LORD. 31They would not heed my counsel, and they scorned all my rebuke. 32So they will eat the fruit of their deeds and be stuffed full of their own sin. 33The refusal of fools to turn back kills them. Because they wronged the young, they will be killed, and judgment will destroy the wicked. 34But whoever listens to me will live in hope and rest without fear of any evil." ‹
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Proverbs (Messale) · Chapter 1 of 26