Sprüche 1 | New International Reader’s Version

1 These are the proverbs of Solomon. He was the son of David and the king of Israel. 2 Proverbs teach you wisdom and instruct you. They help you understand wise sayings. 3 They provide you with instruction and help you live wisely. They lead to what is right and honest and fair. 4 They give understanding to childish people. They give knowledge and good sense to those who are young. 5 Let wise people listen and add to what they have learned. Let those who understand what is right get guidance. 6 What I’m teaching also helps you understand proverbs and stories. It helps you understand the sayings and riddles of those who are wise. 7 If you really want to gain knowledge, you must begin by having respect for the LORD. But foolish people hate wisdom and instruction.

A warning against sinful men

8 My son, listen to your father’s advice. Don’t turn away from your mother’s teaching. 9 What they teach you will be like a beautiful crown on your head. It will be like a chain to decorate your neck. 10 My son, if sinful men tempt you, don’t give in to them. 11 They might say, ‘Come along with us. Let’s hide and wait to kill someone who hasn’t done anything wrong. Let’s catch some harmless person in our trap. 12 Let’s swallow them alive, as the grave does. Let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down into the pit. 13 We’ll get all kinds of valuable things. We’ll fill our houses with what we steal. 14 Cast lots with us for what they own. We’ll share everything we take from them.’ 15 My son, don’t go along with them. Don’t even set your feet on their paths. 16 They are always in a hurry to sin. They are quick to spill someone’s blood. 17 How useless it is to spread a net where every bird can see it! 18 Those who hide and wait will spill their own blood. They will be caught in their own trap. 19 That’s what happens to everyone who goes after money in the wrong way. That kind of money takes away the life of those who get it.

Wisdom’s warning

20 Out in the open wisdom calls out. She raises her voice in a public place. 21 On top of the city wall she cries out. Here is what she says near the gate of the city. 22 ‘How long will you childish people love your childish ways? How long will you rude people enjoy making fun of God and others? How long will you foolish people hate knowledge? 23 Pay attention to my warning! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you. I will make known to you my teachings. 24 But you refuse to listen when I call out to you. No one pays attention when I reach out my hand. 25 You turn away from all my advice. And you do not accept my warning. 26 So I will laugh at you when you are in danger. I will make fun of you when hard times come. 27 I will laugh when hard times hit you like a storm. I will laugh when danger comes your way like a violent storm. I will make fun of you when suffering and trouble come. 28 ‘Then you will call to me. But I won’t answer. You will look for me. But you won’t find me. 29 You hated knowledge. You didn’t choose to have respect for the LORD. 30 You wouldn’t accept my advice. You turned your backs on my warnings. 31 So you will eat the fruit of the way you have lived. You will choke on the fruit of what you have planned. 32 ‘The wrong path that childish people take will kill them. Foolish people will be destroyed by being satisfied with the way they live. 33 But those who listen to me will live in safety. They will be at ease and have no fear of being harmed.’

English Standard Version

The Beginning of Knowledge

1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, 3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; 4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— 5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, 6 to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The Enticement of Sinners

8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, 9 for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. 11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; 12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; 13 we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; 14 throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse”— 15 my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, 16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. 17 For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, 18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. 19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.

The Call of Wisdom

20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; 21 at 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 scoffing and fools hate knowledge? 23 If you turn at my reproof,* behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. 24 Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, 25 because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, 27 when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. 28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, 30 would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, 31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. 32 For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; 33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

Sprüche 1 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version

A warning against sinful men

Wisdom’s warning

The Beginning of Knowledge

The Enticement of Sinners

The Call of Wisdom