v1
Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
v2
To know wisdom and instruction, to understand sayings of understanding,
v3
to gain insightful instruction, ^[Literally “the instruction of insight”] righteousness and justice and equity,
v4
to give shrewdness ^[Or “cleverness,” or “prudence”] to the simple, knowledge and purpose ^[Or “plan”] to the young,
v5
may the wise hear and increase learning, and the one who understands gain direction, ^[Or “guidance”]
v6
to understand a proverb and an expression, words of wisdom and their riddles.
v7
Fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; wisdom and instruction, fools despise.
v8
My child, may you keep ^[Or “obey,” or “hear”] your father’s instruction, and do not reject your mother’s teachings,
v9
for they are a garland of favor for your head, and pendants for your neck.
v10
My child, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
v11
If they say, “Come with us! We shall lie in wait for blood; we shall ambush the innocent without cause. ^[Or “wantonly,” or “for nothing”]
v12
Like Sheol, ^[A term for the place where the dead reside, i.e., the Underworld] we will swallow them alive and whole, like those who descend to the pit. ^[Literally “like the descenders of a pit”]
v13
We shall find all precious wealth, we shall fill our houses with booty,
v14
you shall throw your lot in our midst, there will be one purse for all of us.”
v15
My child, do not walk in their way. ^[Or “on their road”] Keep your foot from their paths,
v16
for their feet run to evil, and they hurry to shed blood,
v17
for “in vain ^[Or “without cause,” or “for nothing”] is the net scattered, in the sight of any winged bird.” ^[Literally “bird of wing”]
v18
They lie in wait for their own blood. They ambush their own lives.
v19
Thus are the ways of all who are greedy for gain— it will take the life of its possessors.
v20
Wisdom calls out in the streets, in the squares she raises her voice.
v21
On a busy corner ^[Literally “head of commotion,” or “head of stirring, bustling”] she cries out, at the entrances of the gates in the city, she speaks her sayings:
v22
“How long, ^[Literally “Until when”] O simple ones, will you love simplicity? And how long will scoffers delight in their scoffing, and fools hate knowledge?
v23
May you turn to my argument! ^[Or “turn at my reproach”] Behold, I shall pour out my spirit upon you; I will make my words known to you.
v24
Because I called out and you refused me, I stretched out my hand, yet there is none who heeds.
v25
You have ignored all my counsel, and my reproof you are not willing to accept.
v26
I will also laugh at your calamity; ^[Or “downfall”] I will mock when panic ^[Or “dread, fear”] comes upon you.
v27
When your panic comes like a storm, and your calamity arrives like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you,
v28
then they will call ^[Or “cry out to”] me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but not find me.
v29
Since they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,
v30
they were not willing to accept my counsel, they despised all my reproof.
v31
They shall eat from the fruit of their way, and they shall be sated from their own schemes,
v32
for the waywardness of the simple ones will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
v33
Whoever listens to me will dwell in security and rest securely ^[Or “be at ease, peace”] from dread and disaster.”