The Proverbs

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- Chapter 1 -

Authorship. Purpose

(Proverbs 9:1-12)

The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.

To know wisdom, and instruction:

To understand the words of prudence: and to receive the instruction of doctrine, justice, and judgment, and equity:

To give subtilty to little ones, to the young man knowledge and understanding.

A wise man shall hear and shall be wiser: and he that understandeth, shall possess governments.

He shall understand a parable, and the interpretation, the words of the wise, and their mysterious sayings.

Main theme. Warnings against violence

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

That grace may be added to thy head, and a chain of gold to thy neck.

My son, if sinners shall entice thee, consent not to them.

If they shall say: Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide snares for the innocent without cause:

Let us swallow him up alive like hell, and whole as one that goeth down into the pit.

We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoils.

Cast in thy lot with us, let us all have one purse.

My son, walk not thou with them, restrain thy foot from their paths.

For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

But a net is spread in vain before the eyes of them that have wings.

And they themselves lie in wait for their own blood, and practise deceits against their own souls.

So the wage of every covetous man destroy the souls of the possessors.

Warning against neglecting wisdom

Wisdom preacheth abroad, she uttereth her voice in the streets:

At the head of multitudes she crieth out, in the entrance of the gates of the city she uttereth her words, saying:

O children, how long will you love childishness, and fools covet those things which are hurtful to themselves, and the unwise hate knowledge?

Turn ye at my reproof: behold I will utter my spirit to you, and will shew you my words.

Because I called, and you refused: I stretched out my hand, and there was none that regarded.

You have despised all my counsel, and have neglected my reprehensions.

I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that shall come to you which you feared.

When sudden calamity shall fall on you, and destruction, as a tempest, shall be at hand: when tribulation and distress shall come upon you:

Then shall they call upon me, and I will not hear: they shall rise in the morning and shall not find me:

Because they have hated instruction and received not the fear of the Lord,

Nor consented to my counsel, but despised all my reproof.

Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and shall be filled with their own devices.

The turning away of little ones shall kill them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

But he that shall hear me, shall rest without terror, and shall enjoy abundance, without fear of evils.

Authorship. Purpose

(Proverbs 9:1-12)

The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;

to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;

to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—

that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;

to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.

Main theme. Warnings against violence

The fear of the LORD

(a)

is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;

for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.

My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.

If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.

Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol,(b) and whole, like those who go down into the pit.

We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.

You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse”—

my son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,

for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.

For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;

but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.

So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.

Warning against neglecting wisdom

Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.

She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:

“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?

Turn at my reproof. Behold,(c) I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.

Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;

but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;

I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you,

when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you.

Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,

because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD.

They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.

Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.

For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Footnotes

(a)1:7 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

(b)1:12 Sheol is the place of the dead.

(c)1:23 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.