Chapter 1

Proverbs

1The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2To know wisdom and instruction,to understand words of insight,3to receive instruction in wise dealing,in righteousness, justice, and equity;4to give prudence to the simple,knowledge and discretion to the youth—5Let the wise hear and increase in learning,and the one who understands obtain guidance,6to understand a proverb and a saying,the words of the wise and their riddles.7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;fools despise wisdom and instruction.8Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,and forsake not your mother’s teaching,9for they are a graceful garland for your headand pendants for your neck.10My son, if sinners entice you,do not consent.11If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;let us ambush the innocent without reason;12like Sheol let us swallow them alive,and whole, like those who go down to the pit;13we shall find all precious goods,we shall fill our houses with plunder;14throw in your lot among us;we will all have one purse”—15my son, do not walk in the way with them;hold back your foot from their paths,16for their feet run to evil,and they make haste to shed blood.17For in vain is a net spreadin the sight of any bird,18but these men lie in wait for their own blood;they set an ambush for their own lives.19Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;it takes away the life of its possessors.20Wisdom cries aloud in the street,in the markets she raises her voice;21at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:22“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?How long will scoffers delight in their scoffingand fools hate knowledge?23If you turn at my reproof,behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;I will make my words known to you.24Because I have called and you refused to listen,have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,25because you have ignored all my counseland would have none of my reproof,26I also will laugh at your calamity;I will mock when terror strikes you,27when terror strikes you like a stormand your calamity comes like a whirlwind,when distress and anguish come upon you.28Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;they will seek me diligently but will not find me.29Because they hated knowledgeand did not choose the fear of the LORD,30would have none of my counseland despised all my reproof,31therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,and have their fill of their own devices.32For the simple are killed by their turning away,and the complacency of fools destroys them;33but whoever listens to me will dwell secureand will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated into any other language.