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Proverbs 1
1599 Geneva Bible
Proverbs 1
1599 Geneva Bible
The [a]Proverbs of Solomon
1 2 The power and use of the word of God. 7 Of the fear of God and knowledge of his word. 10 We may not consent to the enticings of sinners. 20 Wisdom complaineth that she is contemned. 24 The punishment of them that contemn her.
1 The Parables of Solomon the son of David king of Israel,
2 To know wisdom, [b]and instruction, to understand the words [c]of knowledge,
3 To receive [d]instruction to do wisely, by [e]justice and judgment and equity,
4 To give unto the [f]simple sharpness of wit, and to the child knowledge and discretion.
5 And wise man shall hear and increase in learning, and a man of [g]understanding shall attain unto wise counsels,
6 To understand a parable, and the interpretation, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7 ¶ (A)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear thy [h]father’s instruction, and forsake not thy [i]mother’s teaching.
9 For they shall be [j]a comely ornament unto thine head, and as chains for thy neck.
10 ¶ My son, [k]if sinners do entice thee, consent thou not.
11 If they say, Come with us, we will lay wait for [l]blood, and lie privily for the innocent without a cause:
12 We will swallow them up alive like a [m]grave, even whole, as those that go down into the pit:
13 We shall find all precious riches, and fill our houses with spoil:
14 Cast in thy lot among us, we will all have one [n]purse:
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them: refrain thy foot from their [o]path.
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
17 Certainly as without cause the net is spread before the eyes of all that hath wing:
18 So they lay wait for blood, and lie privily for [p]their lives.
19 Such are the ways of everyone that is greedy of gain: he would take away [q]the life of the owners thereof.
20 ¶ [r]Wisdom crieth without: she uttereth her voice in the [s]streets.
21 She calleth in the high street, among the prease in the enterings of the gates, and uttereth her words in the city, saying,
22 O ye [t]foolish, how long will ye love foolishness? and the scornful take their pleasure in scorning? and the fools hate knowledge?
23 (Turn you at my correction: lo, I will pour out my mind unto you, and make you understand my words.)
24 Because I have called, and ye refused: I have stretched out mine hand, and none would regard.
25 But ye have despised all my counsel, and would none of my correction,
26 I will also [u]laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear cometh.
27 When [v]your fear cometh like sudden desolation, and your destruction shall come like a whirlwind: when affliction and anguish shall come upon you,
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer: they shall seek me early, but they shall not [w]find me,
29 Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.
30 They would none of my counsel, but [x]despised all my correction.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the [y]fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 For [z]ease slayeth the foolish, and the prosperity of fools destroyeth them.
33 But he that obeyeth me, shall dwell safely, and be quiet from fear of evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:1 This word Proverb, or Parable, signifieth a grave and notable sentence, worthy to be kept in memory: and is sometimes taken in the evil part for a mock or scoff.
- Proverbs 1:2 That is, what we ought to know and follow, and what we ought to refuse.
- Proverbs 1:2 Meaning, the word of God wherein is the only true knowledge.
- Proverbs 1:3 To learn to submit ourselves to the correction of those that are wise.
- Proverbs 1:3 By living justly and rendering to every man that which appertaineth unto him.
- Proverbs 1:4 To such as have no discretion to rule themselves.
- Proverbs 1:5 As he showeth that these parables containing the effect of religion as touching manners and doctrine, do appertain to the simple people: so doth he declare that the same is also necessary for them that are wise and learned.
- Proverbs 1:8 He speaketh this in the Name of God, which is the universal Father of all creatures, or in the name of the pastor of the Church, who is as a father.
- Proverbs 1:8 That is, of the Church, wherein the faithful are begotten by the incorruptible seed of God’s word.
- Proverbs 1:9 Hebrew, increase of grace.
- Proverbs 1:10 To wit, the wicked which have not the fear of God.
- Proverbs 1:11 He speaketh not only of the shedding of blood with hand, but of all crafty practices which tend to the detriment of our neighbor.
- Proverbs 1:12 As the grave is never satiated, so the avarice of the wicked and their cruelty hath none end.
- Proverbs 1:14 He showeth whereby the wicked are allured to join together, because they have every one part of the spoil of the innocent.
- Proverbs 1:15 That is, have nothing at all to do with them.
- Proverbs 1:18 He showeth that there is no cause to move these wicked to spoil the innocent, but their avarice and cruelty.
- Proverbs 1:19 Whereby he concludeth, that the covetous man is a murderer.
- Proverbs 1:20 This wisdom is the eternal word of God.
- Proverbs 1:20 So that none can pretend ignorance.
- Proverbs 1:22 Wisdom reproveth three kinds of men: the foolish or simple which err of ignorance, and the mockers that cannot suffer to be taught, and the fools which are drowned in worldly lusts and hate the knowledge of godliness.
- Proverbs 1:26 This is spoken according to our capacity, signifying that the wicked, which mock and jest at God’s word, shall have the just reward of their mocking.
- Proverbs 1:27 That is, your destruction, which thing you feared.
- Proverbs 1:28 Because they sought not with an affection to God, but for ease of their own grief.
- Proverbs 1:30 Showing that without faith and obedience, we can not call upon God aright.
- Proverbs 1:31 They shall feel what commodity their wicked life shall give them.
- Proverbs 1:32 That is, the prosperity and sensuality wherein they delight.
Proverbs 1
New International Version
Proverbs 1
New International Version
Purpose and Theme
1 The proverbs(A) of Solomon(B) son of David, king of Israel:(C)
2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to those who are simple,[a](D)
knowledge and discretion(E) to the young—
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,(F)
and let the discerning get guidance—
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,(G)
the sayings and riddles(H) of the wise.[b](I)
7 The fear of the Lord(J) is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools[c] despise wisdom(K) and instruction.(L)
Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom
Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men
8 Listen, my son,(M) to your father’s(N) instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(O)
9 They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.(P)
10 My son, if sinful men entice(Q) you,
do not give in(R) to them.(S)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait(T) for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12 let’s swallow(U) them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;(V)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14 cast lots with us;
we will all share the loot(W)”—
15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot(X) on their paths;(Y)
16 for their feet rush into evil,(Z)
they are swift to shed blood.(AA)
17 How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18 These men lie in wait(AB) for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!(AC)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.(AD)
Wisdom’s Rebuke
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(AE)
she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[d] she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you who are simple(AF) love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate(AG) knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse(AH) to listen when I call(AI)
and no one pays attention(AJ) when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh(AK) when disaster(AL) strikes you;
I will mock(AM) when calamity overtakes you(AN)—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster(AO) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(AP)
they will look for me but will not find me,(AQ)
29 since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.(AR)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,(AS)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(AT)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(AU)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(AV)
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(AW)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs denotes a person who is gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil.
- Proverbs 1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles
- Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.
- Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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