Open English Translation PRO Chapter 1

1 These are the proverbs collected by King Solomon of Israel (King David’s son):

2 These will help you to know wisdom and instruction,

≈and to comprehend sayings that give understanding.

3 Also to learn insight

and to understand what’s right and leads to justice and integrity.

4 They give good advice to those who’re naive—

≈teaching knowledge and discretion to young people.

5 Let wise people also listen to these sayings to keep learning more,

and discerning people can acquire guidance—

6 understanding proverbs and parables—

the words of wise people plus their challenges.

7 Deciding to obey Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge.

Fools despise wisdom and being told what they should do.[ref]

8 My child, listen to your father’s instructions.

≈Don’t reject what your mother has told you to do,

9 because their teaching is like a graceful garland to wear on your head,

≈or like beautiful necklaces to wear around your neck.

10 My child, if evil people tempt you to join them, don’t agree to it. 11 If they say,

“Come with us. We’ll find someone to kill—

≈we’ll hide and ambush an innocent person just for fun.

12 Let’s swallow innocent people just like the grave does,

≈and healthy people just like those going down to the pit.

13 We’ll find lots of valuable loot.

≈We’ll fill our houses with what we take.

14 You need to come and join us—

we share everything equally.”

15 My child, don’t follow their ways.

≈Keep your foot away from their path

16 because their feet run towards evil,

and they rush to pour out blood.

17 Surely it would be a waste of time

to spread out a net while the bird is watching,

18 but they lie in wait for their own blood—

they ambush their own lives.

19 That’s what happens to anyone who gains wealth illegally—

it takes that person’s life.

20 Wisdom calls out loudly on the street—

≈she makes her voice known in the plazas.[ref]

21 She calls out from above the busy streets.

≈She tells her sayings at the meeting place at the city gates.

22 How much longer will naive people love their naivety,

≈and mockers enjoy their mockery,

≈and stupid people despise knowledge?

23 Change your ways when I correct you.

Listen, I’ll pour my spirit out on you all.

Let me declare my messages to you all

24 because I’ve called and you’ve all refused to listen.

≈I held out my hand but no one paid any attention

25 and you all ignored all my advice

and took no notice when I corrected you.

26 So I’ll laugh when calamity hits you all

and I’ll ridicule you when you’re all terrified

27 when panic strikes you all like a storm

and calamity comes like a whirlwind

and when trouble and anguish reach you all.

28 Then they’ll call out to me for help but I won’t answer.

≈They’ll search for me but won’t be able to find me

29 because they hated wisdom

≈and didn’t choose to respect and obey Yahweh.

30 They didn’t listen to my advice.

≈They didn’t want to hear whenever I corrected them,

31 so they’ll eat the fruit of their own chosen path

≈and they’ll be filled with their own schemes.

32 Naive people will get killed as a result of their own turning away,

≈and the fools’ own complacency will destroy them.

33 However, those who listen to me will have secure lives

and be able to relax without worrying about troubles coming.