Proverbs 1

HCSB

Proverbs 1

The Purpose of Proverbs

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The proverbs of Solomon^(A) son of David, king of Israel:

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For learning what wisdom and discipline are;
for understanding insightful sayings;

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for receiving wise instruction
in righteousness, justice, and integrity;^(B)

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for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,^(a)^(C)
knowledge and discretion^(D) to a young man—

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a wise man will listen and increase his learning,^(E)
and a discerning man will obtain guidance—

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for understanding a proverb or a parable,^(b)
the words of the wise, and their riddles.^(F)

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The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge;^(G)
fools despise wisdom and discipline.^(H)

Avoid the Path of the Violent

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Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,^(I)

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for they will be a garland^(J) of grace on your head
and a gold chain around your neck.^(K)

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My son, if sinners entice you,^(L)
don’t be persuaded.^(M)

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If they say—“Come with us!
Let’s set an ambush^(N) and kill someone.^(c)
Let’s attack some innocent person^(O) just for fun!^(d)

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Let’s swallow them alive,^(P) like Sheol,
still healthy as they go down to the Pit.^(Q)

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We’ll find all kinds of valuable property
and fill our houses with plunder.^(R)

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Throw in your lot with us,
and we’ll all share our money”^(e)—

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my son, don’t travel that road with them^(S)
or set foot on their path,^(T)

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because their feet run toward trouble
and they hurry to commit murder.^(f)^(U)

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It is foolish to spread a net
where any bird can see it,

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but they set an ambush to kill themselves;^(g)
they attack their own lives.

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Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly;^(V)
it takes the lives of those who receive it.^(h)

Wisdom’s Plea

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Wisdom calls out in the street;
she raises her voice in the public squares.^(W)

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She cries out above⁽ⁱ⁾ the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:

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“How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers^(X) enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?^(Y)

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If you respond to my warning,^(j)^(Z)
then I will pour out my spirit on you^(AA)
and teach you my words.

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Since I called out and you refused,^(AB)
extended my hand and no one paid attention,^(AC)

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since you neglected all my counsel^(AD)
and did not accept my correction,

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I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.^(AE)
I will mock when terror strikes you,

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when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.

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Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will search for me, but won’t find me.^(AF)

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Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,^(AG)

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were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,^(AH)

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they will eat the fruit of their way^(AI)
and be glutted with their own schemes.^(AJ)

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For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them,^(AK)
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

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But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be free from the fear of danger.”^(AL)

Footnotes:

a. Proverbs 1:4: Or simple, or gullible

b. Proverbs 1:6: Or an enigma

c. Proverbs 1:11: Lit Let’s ambush for blood

d. Proverbs 1:11: Lit person for no reason

e. Proverbs 1:14: Lit us; one bag will be for all of us

f. Proverbs 1:16: Lit to shed blood

g. Proverbs 1:18: Lit they ambush for their blood

h. Proverbs 1:19: Lit takes the life of its masters

i. Proverbs 1:21: Lit at the head of

j. Proverbs 1:23: Lit back to my reprimand

Cross references:

A. Proverbs 1:1: Proverbs 10:1; Proverbs 25:1; Ecclesiastes 12:9

B. Proverbs 1:3: Proverbs 2:9

C. Proverbs 1:4: Proverbs 8:5

D. Proverbs 1:4: Proverbs 2:11; Proverbs 3:21

E. Proverbs 1:5: Proverbs 9:9; Proverbs 16:21; Proverbs 16:23

F. Proverbs 1:6: Numbers 12:8; Judges 14:12; Psalm 49:4; Habakkuk 2:6

G. Proverbs 1:7: Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10; Proverbs 15:33

H. Proverbs 1:7: Ephesians 5:17

I. Proverbs 1:8: Proverbs 6:20; Proverbs 31:1

J. Proverbs 1:9: Proverbs 4:9

K. Proverbs 1:9: Genesis 41:42; Proverbs 6:21; Daniel 5:29

L. Proverbs 1:10: Proverbs 16:29

M. Proverbs 1:10: Psalm 141:4

N. Proverbs 1:11: Proverbs 12:6; Jeremiah 5:26

O. Proverbs 1:11: Psalm 10:8

P. Proverbs 1:12: Psalm 124:3

Q. Proverbs 1:12: Psalm 28:1

R. Proverbs 1:13: Proverbs 24:4

S. Proverbs 1:15: Psalm 1:1; Proverbs 4:14

T. Proverbs 1:15: Psalm 119:101; Proverbs 16:19

U. Proverbs 1:16: Proverbs 6:17-18; Isaiah 59:7; Romans 3:15

V. Proverbs 1:19: Proverbs 15:27; Ezekiel 22:27; Habakkuk 2:6-12

W. Proverbs 1:20: Proverbs 8:1-3; Proverbs 9:3

X. Proverbs 1:22: Psalm 1:1

Y. Proverbs 1:22: Job 21:14; Proverbs 1:29; Proverbs 5:12

Z. Proverbs 1:23: Proverbs 3:11; Proverbs 15:5; Proverbs 15:31-32

AA. Proverbs 1:23: Joel 2:28

AB. Proverbs 1:24: Isaiah 65:12; Isaiah 66:4; Jeremiah 7:13

AC. Proverbs 1:24: Isaiah 65:2; Romans 10:21

AD. Proverbs 1:25: Psalm 107:11; Luke 7:30

AE. Proverbs 1:26: Psalm 2:4

AF. Proverbs 1:28: 1 Samuel 8:18

AG. Proverbs 1:29: Proverbs 1:7

AH. Proverbs 1:30: Proverbs 5:12; Proverbs 15:5

AI. Proverbs 1:31: Jeremiah 6:19

AJ. Proverbs 1:31: Proverbs 14:14; Proverbs 28:19

AK. Proverbs 1:32: Jeremiah 2:19

AL. Proverbs 1:33: Psalm 112:7-8; Proverbs 3:24-26