Chapter text
World English Bible
Verse-by-verse text with stable anchors, canonical chapter URLs, and copyable verse links.
- 1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
- 2 to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
- 3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
- 4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—
- 5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;
- 6 to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
- 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
- 8 My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
- 9 for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.
- 10 My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
- 11 If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
- 12 Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit.
- 13 We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.
- 14 You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse”—
- 15 my son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,
- 16 for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
- 17 For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
- 18 but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
- 19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.
- 20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
- 21 She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
- 22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
- 23 Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
- 24 Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
- 25 but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
- 26 I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you,
- 27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you.
- 28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,
- 29 because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD.
- 30 They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
- 31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.
- 32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
- 33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”