Proverbs Chapter 1 (NIV)

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undefined Prologue: Purpose and ThemeThe proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

undefined for attaining wisdom and discipline;for understanding words of insight;

undefined for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,doing what is right and just and fair;

undefined for giving prudence to the simple,knowledge and discretion to the young—

undefined let the wise listen and add to their learning,and let the discerning get guidance—

undefined for understanding proverbs and parables,the sayings and riddles of the wise.

undefined The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

undefined Exhortations to Embrace WisdomWarning Against EnticementListen, my son, to your father’s instructionand do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

undefined They will be a garland to grace your headand a chain to adorn your neck.

undefined My son, if sinners entice you,do not give in to them.

undefined If they say, “Come along with us;let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood,let’s waylay some harmless soul;

undefined let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

undefined we will get all sorts of valuable thingsand fill our houses with plunder;

undefined throw in your lot with us,and we will share a common purse”—

undefined my son, do not go along with them,do not set foot on their paths;

undefined for their feet rush into sin,they are swift to shed blood.

undefined How useless to spread a netin full view of all the birds!

undefined These men lie in wait for their own blood;they waylay only themselves!

undefined Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain;it takes away the lives of those who get it.

undefined Warning Against Rejecting WisdomWisdom calls aloud in the street,she raises her voice in the public squares;

undefined at the head of the noisy streets she cries out,in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:

undefined “How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?How long will mockers delight in mockeryand fools hate knowledge?

undefined If you had responded to my rebuke,I would have poured out my heart to youand made my thoughts known to you.

undefined But since you rejected me when I calledand no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,

undefined since you ignored all my adviceand would not accept my rebuke,

undefined I in turn will laugh at your disaster;I will mock when calamity overtakes you—

undefined when calamity overtakes you like a storm,when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

undefined “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;they will look for me but will not find me.

undefined Since they hated knowledgeand did not choose to fear the Lord,

undefined since they would not accept my adviceand spurned my rebuke,

undefined they will eat the fruit of their waysand be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

undefined For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

undefined but whoever listens to me will live in safetyand be at ease, without fear of harm.”

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