Proverbs 1
1
The Importance of Proverbs
1These are the wise words of Solomon son of David, king of Israel.
2They teach wisdom and self-control;
they will help you understand wise words.
3They will teach you how to be wise and self-controlled
and will teach you to do what is honest and fair and right.
4They make the uneducated wise
and give knowledge and sense to the young.
5Wise people can also listen and learn;
even they can find good advice in these words.
6Then anyone can understand wise words and stories,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7Knowledge begins with respect for the Lord,
but fools hate wisdom and discipline.
Warnings Against Evil
8My child, listen to your father’s teaching
and do not forget your mother’s advice.
9Their teaching will be like flowers in your hair
or a necklace around your neck.
10My child, if sinners try to lead you into sin,
do not follow them.
11They will say, “Come with us.
Let’s ambush and kill someone;
let’s attack some innocent people just for fun.
12Let’s swallow them alive, as death does;
let’s swallow them whole, as the grave does.
13We will take all kinds of valuable things
and fill our houses with stolen goods.
14Come join us,
and we will share with you stolen goods.”
15My child, do not go along with them;
do not do what they do.
16They are eager to do evil
and are quick to kill.
17It is useless to spread out a net
right where the birds can see it.
18But sinners will fall into their own traps;
they will only catch themselves!
19All greedy people end up this way;
greed kills selfish people.
Wisdom Speaks
20Wisdom is like a woman shouting in the street;
she raises her voice in the city squares.
21She cries out in the noisy street
and shouts at the city gates:
22“You fools, how long will you be foolish?
How long will you make fun of wisdom
and hate knowledge?
23If only you had listened when I corrected you,
I would have told you what’s in my heart;
I would have told you what I am thinking.
24I called, but you refused to listen;
I held out my hand, but you paid no attention.
25You did not follow my advice
and did not listen when I corrected you.
26So I will laugh when you are in trouble.
I will make fun when disaster strikes you,
27when disaster comes over you like a storm,
when trouble strikes you like a whirlwind,
when pain and trouble overwhelm you.
28“Then you will call to me,
but I will not answer.
You will look for me,
but you will not find me.
29It is because you rejected knowledge
and did not choose to respect the Lord.
30You did not accept my advice,
and you rejected my correction.
31So you will get what you deserve;
you will get what you planned for others.
32Fools will die because they refuse to listen;
they will be destroyed because they do not care.
33But those who listen to me will live in safety
and be at peace, without fear of injury.”
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Proverbs 1: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.