Proverbs 1:1-19 ▼

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

2 To know wisdom and instruction; To comprehend the words of understanding;

3 To receive the discipline of wisdom, Justice, and right, and equity;

4 To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion;

5 That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, And the man of understanding may attain unto wise counsels;

6 To understand a proverb, and a figure; The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; But the foolish despise wisdom and discipline.

8 Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the teaching of thy mother;

9 For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, And chains about thy neck.

10 My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not.

11 If they say: 'Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us lurk for the innocent without cause;

12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave, And whole, as those that go down into the pit;

13 We shall find all precious substance, We shall fill our houses with spoil;

14 Cast in thy lot among us; Let us all have one purse'--

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them, Restrain thy foot from their path;

16 For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood.

17 For in vain the net is spread In the eyes of any bird;

18 And these lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; It taketh away the life of the owners thereof.