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Proverbs 1
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)

#### Footnotes

1. Proverbs 1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs denotes a person who is gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil.
2. Proverbs 1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles
3. Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.
4. Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners

#### Cross references

1. Proverbs 1:1 : Mt 13:3
2. Proverbs 1:1 : 1Ki 4:29-34
3. Proverbs 1:1 : Pr 10:1; 25:1; Ecc 1:1
4. Proverbs 1:4 : Pr 8:5
5. Proverbs 1:4 : Pr 8:12
6. Proverbs 1:5 : Pr 9:9
7. Proverbs 1:6 : S Ps 49:4; Mt 13:10-17
8. Proverbs 1:6 : S Nu 12:8; S Jdg 14:12
9. Proverbs 1:6 : Pr 22:17; 24:23
10. Proverbs 1:7 : S Ex 20:20; S Job 23:15; Ps 34:4-22; S 112:1; Pr 9:10; 15:33; Isa 33:6; 50:10; 59:19
11. Proverbs 1:7 : S Dt 4:6; Jer 8:9
12. Proverbs 1:7 : Pr 8:33-36; 9:7-9; 12:1; 13:18; 15:32
13. Proverbs 1:8 : ver 8-9; Pr 2:1; 3:1; 4:1; 5:1; 6:1; 7:1; 19:27; 22:17; 23:26-28
14. Proverbs 1:8 : Jer 35:8
15. Proverbs 1:8 : S Dt 21:18; Pr 6:20
16. Proverbs 1:9 : Pr 3:21-22; 4:1-9
17. Proverbs 1:10 : S Job 24:15
18. Proverbs 1:10 : Dt 13:8
19. Proverbs 1:10 : ver 15; Ps 1:1; Pr 16:29
20. Proverbs 1:11 : S Ps 10:8
21. Proverbs 1:12 : S Ps 35:25
22. Proverbs 1:12 : ver 16-18; S Job 33:18; S Ps 30:3
23. Proverbs 1:14 : ver 19
24. Proverbs 1:15 : S Ps 119:101
25. Proverbs 1:15 : S Ge 49:6; Pr 4:14
26. Proverbs 1:16 : S Job 15:31
27. Proverbs 1:16 : Pr 6:18; Isa 59:7
28. Proverbs 1:18 : S Ps 71:10
29. Proverbs 1:18 : S ver 11-12
30. Proverbs 1:19 : S ver 13-14; Pr 4:14-17; 11:19
31. Proverbs 1:20 : S Job 28:12; Pr 7:10-13; 9:1-3, 13-15
32. Proverbs 1:22 : Pr 6:32; 7:7; 8:5; 9:4, 16
33. Proverbs 1:22 : Ps 50:17
34. Proverbs 1:24 : Jer 26:5; 35:17; 36:31
35. Proverbs 1:24 : Isa 65:12; 66:4; Jer 7:13
36. Proverbs 1:24 : S 1Sa 8:19
37. Proverbs 1:26 : S Ps 2:4
38. Proverbs 1:26 : ver 33; S Ps 59:8
39. Proverbs 1:26 : S 2Ki 19:21
40. Proverbs 1:26 : Dt 28:63
41. Proverbs 1:27 : S Ps 18:18; Pr 5:12-14
42. Proverbs 1:28 : S Dt 1:45; S 1Sa 8:18; S Jer 11:11
43. Proverbs 1:28 : S Job 27:9; Pr 8:17; Eze 8:18; Hos 5:6; Zec 7:13
44. Proverbs 1:29 : S Job 21:14
45. Proverbs 1:30 : ver 25
46. Proverbs 1:31 : S 2Ch 36:16; Pr 14:14; Jer 6:19; 14:16; 21:14; 30:15
47. Proverbs 1:32 : Pr 5:22; 15:10; Isa 66:4
48. Proverbs 1:33 : S Nu 24:21; S Dt 33:28; Pr 3:23
49. Proverbs 1:33 : S ver 21-26; S Ps 112:8

New International Version (NIV)

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