Proverbs 1:1-7 - Prologue

¹ Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: ² To know wisdom and instruction, to understand sayings of understanding, ³ to gain {insightful instruction}, righteousness and justice and equity, ⁴ to give shrewdness to the simple, knowledge and purpose to the young, ⁵ may the wise hear and increase learning, and the one who understands gain direction, ⁶ to understand a proverb and an expression, words of wisdom and their riddles.

⁷ Fear of Yahweh [is the] beginning of knowledge; wisdom and instruction, fools despise.

¹ The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

¹ What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched, concerning the word of life-- ² and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was revealed to us-- ³ what we have seen and heard, we announce to you also, in order that you also may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship [is] with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ And these [things] we write, in order that our joy may be complete.

¹ The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his slaves [the things] which must take place in a short time, and communicated [it] [by] sending [it] through his angel to his slave John, ² who testified about the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, all that he saw. ³ Blessed [is] the one who reads aloud and [blessed are] those who hear the words of the prophecy and observe the things written in it, because the time [is] near!