How Proverbs Can Be Used
1 These are the proverbs
of King Solomon of Israel,
the son of David.
2 Proverbs will teach you
wisdom and self-control
and how to understand
sayings with deep meanings.
3 You will learn what is right
and honest and fair.
4 From these, an ordinary person
can learn to be smart,
and young people can gain
knowledge and good sense.
5 If you are already wise,
you will become even wiser.
And if you are smart,
you will learn to understand
6 proverbs and sayings,
as well as words of wisdom,
and all kinds of riddles.
7 Respect and obey the Lord!
This is the beginning
of knowledge.
Only a fool rejects wisdom
and good advice.
Warnings against Bad Friends
8 My child, obey the teachings
of your parents,
9 and wear their teachings
as you would a pretty hat
or a lovely necklace.
10 Don't be tempted by sinners
or listen 11 when they say,
“Come on! Let's gang up
and kill somebody,
just for the fun of it!
12 They're well and healthy now,
but we'll finish them off
once and for all.
13 We'll take their valuables
and fill our homes
with stolen goods.
14 If you join our gang,
you'll get your share.”
15 Don't follow anyone like that
or do what they do.
16 They are in a big hurry
to commit some crime,
perhaps even murder.
17 They are like a bird
that sees the bait,
but ignores the trap.
18 They gang up to murder someone,
but they are the victims.
19 The wealth you get from crime
robs you of your life.
Wisdom Speaks
20 Wisdom shouts in the streets
wherever crowds gather.
21 She shouts in the marketplaces
and near the city gates
as she says to the people,
22 “How much longer
will you enjoy
being stupid fools?
Won't you ever stop sneering
and laughing at knowledge?
23 Listen as I correct you
and tell you what I think.
24 You completely ignored me
and refused to listen;
25 you rejected my advice
and paid no attention
when I warned you.
26 “So when you are struck
by some terrible disaster,
27 or when trouble and distress
surround you like a whirlwind,
I will laugh and make fun.
28 You will ask for my help,
but I won't listen;
you will search,
but you won't find me.
29 No, you would not learn,
and you refused
to respect the Lord.
30 You rejected my advice
and paid no attention
when I warned you.
31 “Now you will eat the fruit
of what you have done,
until you are stuffed full
with your own schemes.
32 Sin and self-satisfaction
bring destruction and death
to stupid fools.
33 But if you listen to me,
you will be safe and secure
without fear of disaster.”
1 The Parables of Salomon the sonne of Dauid King of Israel, 2 To knowe wisdome, and instruction, to vnderstand ye wordes of knowledge, 3 To receiue instruction to do wisely, by iustice and iudgement and equitie, 4 To giue vnto the simple, sharpenesse of wit, and to the childe knowledge and discretion. 5 A wise man shall heare and increase in learning, and a man of vnderstanding shall attayne vnto wise counsels, 6 To vnderstand a parable, and the interpretation, the wordes of ye wise, and their darke sayings. 7 The feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fooles despise wisedome and instruction. 8 My sonne, heare thy fathers instruction, and forsake not thy mothers teaching. 9 For they shalbe a comely ornament vnto thine head, and as chaines for thy necke. 10 My sonne, if sinners doe intise thee, consent thou not. 11 If they say, Come with vs, we will lay waite for blood, and lie priuilie for the innocent without a cause: 12 We wil swallow them vp aliue like a graue euen whole, as those that goe downe into the pit: 13 We shall finde all precious riches, and fill our houses with spoyle: 14 Cast in thy lot among vs: we will all haue one purse: 15 My sonne, walke not thou in the way with them: refraine thy foote from their path. 16 For their feete runne to euill, and make haste to shed blood. 17 Certainely as without cause the net is spred before the eyes of all that hath wing: 18 So they lay waite for blood and lie priuily for their liues. 19 Such are the wayes of euery one that is greedy of gaine: he would take away the life of the owners thereof. 20 Wisdome cryeth without: she vttereth her voyce in the streetes. 21 She calleth in the hye streete, among the prease in the entrings of the gates, and vttereth her wordes in the citie, saying, 22 O ye foolish, howe long will ye loue foolishnes? and the scornefull take their pleasure in scorning, and the fooles hate knowledge? 23 (Turne you at my correction: loe, I will powre out my mind vnto you, and make you vnderstand my wordes) 24 Because I haue called, and ye refused: I haue stretched out mine hand, and none woulde regarde. 25 But ye haue despised all my counsell, and would none of my correction. 26 I will also laugh at your destruction, and mocke, when your feare commeth. 27 Whe your feare cometh like sudden desolation, and your destruction shall come like a whirle wind: whe affliction and anguish shall come vpon you, 28 Then shall they call vpon me, but I will not answere: they shall seeke me early, but they shall not finde me, 29 Because they hated knowledge, and did not chuse the feare of the Lord. 30 They would none of my counsell, but despised all my correction. 31 Therefore shall they eate of ye fruite of their owne way, and be filled with their owne deuises. 32 For ease slaieth the foolish, and the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them. 33 But he that obeyeth me, shall dwell safely, and be quiet from feare of euill.