Chapter 1
1 The Usefulness of Proverbs
The proverbs 4912 of Solomon 8010 the son 1121 of David 1732, king 4428 of Israel 3478:
2 To know 3045 wisdom 2451 and instruction 4148, To discern 995 the sayings 561 of understanding 998,
3 To receive 3947 instruction 4148 in wise 7919 behavior 7919, Righteousness 6664, justice 4941 and equity 4339;
4 To give 5414 prudence 6195 to the naive 6612, To the youth 5288 knowledge 1847 and discretion 4209,
5 A wise 2450 man 2450 will hear 8085 and increase 3254 in learning 3948, And a man of understanding 995 will acquire 7069 wise 8458 counsel 8458,
6 To understand 995 a proverb 4912 and a figure 4426, The words 1697 of the wise 2450 and their riddles 2420.
7 ¶ The fear 3374 of the LORD 3068 is the beginning 7225 of knowledge 1847; Fools 191 despise 936 wisdom 2451 and instruction 4148.
8 The Enticement of Sinners
¶ Hear 8085, my son 1121, your father's 1 instruction 4148 And do not forsake 5203 your mother's 517 teaching 8451;
9 Indeed 3588, they are a graceful 2580 wreath 3880 to your head 7218 And ornaments 6060 about your neck 1621.
10 My son 1121, if 518 sinners 2400 entice 6601 you, Do not consent 14.
11 If 518 they say 559, "Come 1980 with us, Let us lie 693 in wait 693 for blood 1818, Let us ambush 6845 the innocent 5355 without 2600 cause 2600;
12 Let us swallow 1104 them alive 2416 like Sheol 7585, Even whole 8549, as those who go 3381 down 3381 to the pit 953;
13 We will find 4672 all 3605 {kinds} of precious 3368 wealth 1952, We will fill 4390 our houses 1004 with spoil 7998;
14 Throw 5307 in your lot 1486 with us, We shall all 3605 have 1961 one 259 purse 3599,"
15 My son 1121, do not walk 1980 in the way 1870 with them. Keep 4513 your feet 7272 from their path 5410,
16 For their feet 7272 run 7323 to evil 7451 And they hasten 4116 to shed 8210 blood 1818.
17 Indeed 3588, it is useless 2600 to spread 2219 the {baited} net 7568 In the sight 5869 of any 3605 bird;
18 But they lie 693 in wait 693 for their own blood 1818; They ambush 6845 their own lives 5315.
19 So 3651 are the ways 734 of everyone 3605 who gains 1214 by violence 1214; It takes 3947 away the life 5315 of its possessors 1167.
20 Wisdom Warns
¶ Wisdom 2451 shouts 7442 in the street 2351, She lifts 5414 her voice 6963 in the square 7339;
21 At the head 7218 of the noisy 1993 {streets} she cries 7121 out; At the entrance 6607 of the gates 8179 in the city 5892 she utters 559 her sayings 561:
22 "How 4970 long, O naive 6612 ones 6612, will you love 157 being simple-minded 6612? And scoffers 3917 delight 2530 themselves in scoffing 3944 And fools 3684 hate 8130 knowledge 1847?
23 "Turn 7725 to my reproof 8433, Behold 2009, I will pour 5042 out my spirit 7307 on you; I will make 3045 my words 1697 known 3045 to you.
24 "Because 3282 I called 7121 and you refused 3985, I stretched 5186 out my hand 3027 and no 369 one 369 paid 7181 attention 7181;
25 And you neglected 6544 all 3605 my counsel 6098 And did not want 14 my reproof 8433;
26 I will also 1571 laugh 7832 at your calamity 343; I will mock 3932 when your dread 6343 comes 935,
27 When your dread 6343 comes 935 like a storm 7584 And your calamity 343 comes 857 like a whirlwind 5492, When distress 6869 and anguish 6695 come 935 upon you.
28 "Then 227 they will call 7121 on me, but I will not answer 6030; They will seek 7836 me diligently 7836 but they will not find 4672 me,
29 Because they hated 8130 knowledge 1847 And did not choose 977 the fear 3374 of the LORD 3068.
30 "They would 14 not accept 14 my counsel 6098, They spurned 5006 all 3605 my reproof 8433.
31 "So they shall eat 398 of the fruit 6529 of their own way 1870 And be satiated 7646 with their own devices 4156.
32 "For the waywardness 4878 of the naive 6612 will kill 2026 them, And the complacency 7962 of fools 3684 will destroy 6 them.
33 "But he who listens 8085 to me shall live 7931 securely 983 And will be at ease 7599 from the dread 6343 of evil 7463."
Chapter 2
1 The Pursuit of Wisdom Brings Security
My son 1121, if 518 you will receive 3947 my words 561 And treasure 6845 my commandments 4687 within 854 you,
2 Make 7181 your ear 241 attentive 7181 to wisdom 2451, Incline 5186 your heart 3820 to understanding 8394;
3 For if 518 you cry 7121 for discernment 998, Lift 5414 your voice 6963 for understanding 8394;
4 If 518 you seek 1245 her as silver 3701 And search 2664 for her as for hidden 4301 treasures 4301;
5 Then 227 you will discern 995 the fear 3374 of the LORD 3068 And discover 4672 the knowledge 1847 of God 430.
6 For the LORD 3068 gives 5414 wisdom 2451; From His mouth 6310 {come} knowledge 1847 and understanding 8394.
7 He stores 6845 up sound 8454 wisdom 8454 for the upright 3477; {He is} a shield 4043 to those who walk 1980 in integrity 8537,
8 Guarding 5341 the paths 734 of justice 4941, And He preserves 8104 the way 1870 of His godly 2623 ones 2623.
9 Then 227 you will discern 995 righteousness 6664 and justice 4941 And equity 4339 {and} every 3605 good 2896 course 4570.
10 For wisdom 2451 will enter 935 your heart 3820 And knowledge 1847 will be pleasant 5276 to your soul 5315;
11 Discretion 4209 will guard 8104 you, Understanding 8394 will watch 5341 over you,
12 To deliver 5337 you from the way 1870 of evil 7451, From the man 376 who speaks 1696 perverse 8419 things 8419;
13 From those who leave 5800 the paths 734 of uprightness 3476 To walk 1980 in the ways 1870 of darkness 2822;
14 Who 8056 delight 8056 in doing 6213 evil 7451 And rejoice 1523 in the perversity 8419 of evil 7451;
15 Whose 834 paths 734 are crooked 6141, And who are devious 3868 in their ways 4570;
16 To deliver 5337 you from the strange 2114 woman 802, From the adulteress 5237 who flatters 2505 with her words 561;
17 That leaves 5800 the companion 441 of her youth 5271 And forgets 7911 the covenant 1285 of her God 430;
18 For her house 1004 sinks 7743 down 7743 to death 4194 And her tracks 4570 {lead} to the dead 7496;
19 None who go 935 to her return 7725 again, Nor 3808 do they reach 5381 the paths 734 of life 2425.
20 So 4616 you will walk 1980 in the way 1870 of good 2896 men 2896 And keep 8104 to the paths 734 of the righteous 6662.
21 For the upright 3477 will live 7931 in the land 776 And the blameless 8549 will remain 3498 in it;
22 But the wicked 7563 will be cut 3772 off 3772 from the land 776 And the treacherous 898 will be uprooted 5255 from it.
Chapter 3
1 The Rewards of Wisdom
My son 1121, do not forget 7911 my teaching 8451, But let your heart 3820 keep 5341 my commandments 4687;
2 For length 753 of days 3117 and years 8141 of life 2425 And peace 7965 they will add 3254 to you.
3 Do not let kindness 2617 and truth 571 leave 5800 you; Bind 7194 them around 5921 your neck 1621, Write 3789 them on the tablet 3871 of your heart 3820.
4 So you will find 4672 favor 2580 and good 2896 repute 7922 In the sight 5869 of God 430 and man 120.
5 Trust 982 in the LORD 3068 with all 3605 your heart 3820 And do not lean 8172 on your own understanding 998.
6 In all 3605 your ways 1870 acknowledge 3045 Him, And He will make 3474 your paths 734 straight 3474.
7 Do not be wise 2450 in your own eyes 5869; Fear 3372 the LORD 3068 and turn 5493 away 5493 from evil 7451.
8 It will be healing 7500 to your body 8270 And refreshment 8250 to your bones 6106.
9 Honor 3513 the LORD 3068 from your wealth 1952 And from the first 7225 of all 3605 your produce 8393;
10 So your barns 618 will be filled 4390 with plenty 7647 And your vats 3342 will overflow 6555 with new 8492 wine 8492.
11 My son 1121, do not reject 3988 the discipline 4148 of the LORD 3068 Or loathe 6973 His reproof 8433,
12 For whom 834 the LORD 3068 loves 157 He reproves 3198, Even as a father 1 {corrects} the son 1121 in whom he delights 7521.
13 ¶ How blessed 835 is the man 120 who finds 4672 wisdom 2451 And the man 120 who gains 6329 understanding 8394.
14 For her profit 5504 is better 2896 than 4480 the profit 5504 of silver 3701 And her gain 8393 better than 4480 fine gold 2742.
15 She is more 4480 precious 3368 than 4480 jewels 6443; And nothing you desire 2656 compares 7737 with her.
16 Long 753 life 3117 is in her right 3225 hand 3225; In her left 8040 hand 8040 are riches 6239 and honor 3519.
17 Her ways 1870 are pleasant 5278 ways 1870 And all 3605 her paths 5410 are peace 7965.
18 She is a tree 6086 of life 2425 to those who take 2388 hold 2388 of her, And happy 833 are all who hold 8551 her fast 8551.
19 The LORD 3068 by wisdom 2451 founded 3245 the earth 776, By understanding 8394 He established 3559 the heavens 8064.
20 By His knowledge 1847 the deeps 8415 were broken 1234 up And the skies 7834 drip 7491 with dew 2919.
21 My son 1121, let them not vanish 3868 from your sight 5869; Keep 5341 sound 8454 wisdom 8454 and discretion 4209,
22 So they will be life 2425 to your soul 5315 And adornment 2580 to your neck 1621.
23 Then 227 you will walk 1980 in your way 1870 securely 983 And your foot 7272 will not stumble 5062.
24 When 518 you lie 7901 down 7901, you will not be afraid 6342; When you lie 7901 down 7901, your sleep 8142 will be sweet 6149.
25 Do not be afraid 3372 of sudden 6597 fear 6343 Nor 408 of the onslaught 7724 of the wicked 7563 when 3588 it comes 935;
26 For the LORD 3068 will be your confidence 3689 And will keep 8104 your foot 7272 from being caught 3921.
27 ¶ Do not withhold 4513 good 2896 from those to whom it is due 1167, When it is in your power 3027 to do 6213 {it.}
28 Do not say 559 to your neighbor 7453, "Go 1980, and come 7725 back 7725, And tomorrow 4279 I will give 5414 {it,}" When you have 3426 it with you.
29 Do not devise 2790 harm 7463 against 5921 your neighbor 7453, While he lives 3427 securely 983 beside 854 you.
30 Do not contend 7378 with a man 120 without 2600 cause 2600, If 518 he has done 1580 you no 3808 harm 7463.
31 Do not envy 7065 a man 376 of violence 2555 And do not choose 977 any 3605 of his ways 1870.
32 For the devious 3868 are an abomination 8441 to the LORD 3068; But He is intimate 5475 with the upright 3477.
33 The curse 3994 of the LORD 3068 is on the house 1004 of the wicked 7563, But He blesses 1288 the dwelling 5116 of the righteous 6662.
34 Though 518 He scoffs 3917 at the scoffers 3917, Yet He gives 5414 grace 2580 to the afflicted 6035.
35 The wise 2450 will inherit 5157 honor 3519, But fools 3684 display 7311 dishonor 7036.
Chapter 4
1 A Father's Instruction
Hear 8085, {O} sons 1121, the instruction 4148 of a father 1, And give 7181 attention 7181 that you may gain 3045 understanding 998,
2 For I give 5414 you sound 2896 teaching 3948; Do not abandon 5800 my instruction 8451.
3 When 3588 I was a son 1121 to my father 1, Tender 7390 and the only 3173 son 3173 in the sight 6440 of my mother 517,
4 Then he taught 3384 me and said 559 to me, "Let your heart 3820 hold 8551 fast 8551 my words 1697; Keep 8104 my commandments 4687 and live 2421;
5 Acquire 7069 wisdom 2451! Acquire 7069 understanding 998! Do not forget 7911 nor 408 turn 5186 away 5186 from the words 561 of my mouth 6310.
6 "Do not forsake 5800 her, and she will guard 8104 you; Love 157 her, and she will watch 5341 over you.
7 "The beginning 7225 of wisdom 2451 {is:} Acquire 7069 wisdom 2451; And with all 3605 your acquiring 7075, get 7069 understanding 998.
8 "Prize 5549 her, and she will exalt 7311 you; She will honor 3513 you if 3588 you embrace 2263 her.
9 "She will place 5414 on your head 7218 a garland 3880 of grace 2580; She will present 4042 you with a crown 5850 of beauty 8597."
10 ¶ Hear 8085, my son 1121, and accept 3947 my sayings 561 And the years 8141 of your life 2425 will be many 7235.
11 I have directed 3384 you in the way 1870 of wisdom 2451; I have led 1869 you in upright 3476 paths 4570.
12 When you walk 1980, your steps 6806 will not be impeded 6887; And if 518 you run 7323, you will not stumble 3782.
13 Take 2388 hold 2388 of instruction 4148; do not let 7503 go 7503. Guard 5341 her, for she is your life 2425.
14 Do not enter 935 the path 734 of the wicked 7563 And do not proceed 833 in the way 1870 of evil 7451 men 7451.
15 Avoid 6544 it, do not pass 5674 by it; Turn 7847 away 7847 from it and pass 5674 on.
16 For they cannot 3808 sleep 3462 unless they do 7489 evil 7489; And they are robbed 1497 of sleep 8142 unless they make {someone} stumble 3782.
17 For they eat 3898 the bread 3899 of wickedness 7562 And drink 8354 the wine 3196 of violence 2555.
18 But the path 734 of the righteous 6662 is like the light 216 of dawn 5051, That shines 215 brighter 1980 and brighter 1980 until 5704 the full 3559 day 3117.
19 The way 1870 of the wicked 7563 is like darkness 653; They do not know 3045 over what 4100 they stumble 3782.
20 ¶ My son 1121, give 7181 attention 7181 to my words 561; Incline 5186 your ear 241 to my sayings 561.
21 Do not let them depart 3868 from your sight 5869; Keep 8104 them in the midst 8432 of your heart 3824.
22 For they are life 2425 to those who find 4672 them And health 4832 to all 3605 their body 1320.
23 Watch 5341 over your heart 3820 with all 3605 diligence 4929, For from it {flow} the springs 8444 of life 2425.
24 Put 5493 away 5493 from you a deceitful 6143 mouth 6310 And put 7368 devious 3891 speech 8193 far 7368 from you.
25 Let your eyes 5869 look 5027 directly 5227 ahead 5227 And let your gaze 6079 be fixed 3474 straight 3474 in front 5048 of you.
26 Watch 6424 the path 4570 of your feet 7272 And all 3605 your ways 1870 will be established 3559.
27 Do not turn 5186 to the right 3225 nor 408 to the left 8040; Turn 5493 your foot 7272 from evil 7451.
Chapter 5
1 Pitfalls of Immorality
My son 1121, give 7181 attention 7181 to my wisdom 2451, Incline 5186 your ear 241 to my understanding 8394;
2 That you may observe 8104 discretion 4209 And your lips 8193 may reserve 5341 knowledge 1847.
3 For the lips 8193 of an adulteress 2114 drip 5197 honey 5317 And smoother 2509 than 4480 oil 8081 is her speech 2441;
4 But in the end 319 she is bitter 4751 as wormwood 3939, Sharp 2299 as a two-edged 6310 sword 2719.
5 Her feet 7272 go 3381 down 3381 to death 4194, Her steps 6806 take 8551 hold 8551 of Sheol 7585.
6 She does not ponder 6424 the path 734 of life 2425; Her ways 4570 are unstable 5128, she does not know 3045 {it.}
7 ¶ Now 6258 then, {my} sons 1121, listen 8085 to me And do not depart 5493 from the words 561 of my mouth 6310.
8 Keep 7368 your way 1870 far 7368 from her And do not go 7126 near 7126 the