The Purpose of Proverbs
1 The proverbs of Solomonson of David, king of Israel:
2 For learning what wisdom and discipline are;
for understanding insightful sayings;
3 for receiving wise instruction
in righteousness, justice, and integrity;
4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,
knowledge and discretionto a young man —
5 a wise man will listen and increase his learning,
and a discerning man will obtain guidance —
6 for understanding a proverb or a parable,
the words of the wise, and their riddles.
7 The fear of theLord
is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Avoid the Path of the Violent
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,
9 for they will be a garlandof grace on your head
and a gold chain around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
don’t be persuaded.
11 If they say — “Come with us!
Let’s set an ambushand kill someone.
Let’s attack some innocent personjust for fun!
12 Let’s swallow them alive,like Sheol,
still healthy as they go down to the Pit.
13 We’ll find all kinds of valuable property
and fill our houses with plunder.
14 Throw in your lot with us,
and we’ll all share our money”—
15 my son, don’t travel that road with them
or set foot on their path,
16 because their feet run toward trouble
and they hurry to commit murder.
17 It is foolish to spread a net
where any bird can see it,
18 but they set an ambush to kill themselves;
they attack their own lives.
19 Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly;
it takes the lives of those who receive it.
Wisdom’s Plea
20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she raises her voice in the public squares.
21 She cries out abovethe commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
22 “How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockersenjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?
23 If you respond to my warning,
then I will pour out my spirit on you
and teach you my words.
24 Since I called out and you refused,
extended my hand and no one paid attention,
25 since you neglected all my counsel
and did not accept my correction,
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will search for me, but won’t find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear theLord,
30 were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,
31 they will eat the fruit of their way
and be glutted with their own schemes.
32 For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be free from the fear of danger.”
—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/PRO/1-225364e2670c23413a2820148fe387f6.mp3?version_id=72—