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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Proverbs 1 ESV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/proverbs/1.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" 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href="../psalms/150.htm" title="Psalm 150">◄</a> Proverbs 1 <a href="../proverbs/2.htm" title="Proverbs 2">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">English Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/esv/nas/proverbs/1.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div></a><div class="chap"><p class="heading">The Beginning of Knowledge</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:</p> <span class="block-indent"><p class="line-group"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">To know wisdom and instruction,</span><br /><span class="indent">to understand words of insight,</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">to receive instruction in wise dealing,</span><br /><span class="indent">in righteousness, justice, and equity;</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">to give prudence to the simple,</span><br /><span class="indent">knowledge and discretion to the youth—</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Let the wise hear and increase in learning,</span><br /><span class="indent">and the one who understands obtain guidance,</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">to understand a proverb and a saying,</span><br /><span class="indent">the words of the wise and their riddles.</span></p> <p class="line-group"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">The fear of the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> is the beginning of knowledge;</span><br /><span class="indent">fools despise wisdom and instruction.</span></p> <p class="heading">The Enticement of Sinners</p><span class="block-indent"><p class="line-group"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,</span><br /><span class="indent">and forsake not your mother’s teaching,</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">for they are a graceful garland for your head</span><br /><span class="indent">and pendants for your neck.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">My son, if sinners entice you,</span><br /><span class="indent">do not consent.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;</span><br /><span class="indent">let us ambush the innocent without reason;</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">like Sheol let us swallow them alive,</span><br /><span class="indent">and whole, like those who go down to the pit;</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">we shall find all precious goods,</span><br /><span class="indent">we shall fill our houses with plunder;</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">throw in your lot among us;</span><br /><span class="indent">we will all have one purse”—</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">my son, do not walk in the way with them;</span><br /><span class="indent">hold back your foot from their paths,</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">for their feet run to evil,</span><br /><span class="indent">and they make haste to shed blood.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">For in vain is a net spread</span><br /><span class="indent">in the sight of any bird,</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">but these men lie in wait for their own blood;</span><br /><span class="indent">they set an ambush for their own lives.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;</span><br /><span class="indent">it takes away the life of its possessors.</span></p> <p class="heading">The Call of Wisdom</p><span class="block-indent"><p class="line-group"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Wisdom cries aloud in the street,</span><br /><span class="indent">in the markets she raises her voice;</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;</span><br /><span class="indent">at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?</span><br /><span class="ln-group">How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing</span><br /><span class="indent">and fools hate knowledge?</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">If you turn at my reproof,<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or Will you turn away at my reproof?">a</a></sup></span></span><br /><span class="ln-group">behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;</span><br /><span class="indent">I will make my words known to you.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Because I have called and you refused to listen,</span><br /><span class="indent">have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">because you have ignored all my counsel</span><br /><span class="indent">and would have none of my reproof,</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">I also will laugh at your calamity;</span><br /><span class="indent">I will mock when terror strikes you,</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">when terror strikes you like a storm</span><br /><span class="indent">and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,</span><br /><span class="indent">when distress and anguish come upon you.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;</span><br /><span class="indent">they will seek me diligently but will not find me.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Because they hated knowledge</span><br /><span class="indent">and did not choose the fear of the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>,</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">would have none of my counsel</span><br /><span class="indent">and despised all my reproof,</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,</span><br /><span class="indent">and have their fill of their own devices.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">For the simple are killed by their turning away,</span><br /><span class="indent">and the complacency of fools destroys them;</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/1-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">but whoever listens to me will dwell secure</span><br /><span class="indent">and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”</span></p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="footnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">23</span> Or <i>Will you turn away at my reproof?</i><br /></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">ESV Text Edition® (2016).<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by <a href="http://www.crossway.org/home/esv/">Crossway Bibles</a>, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. 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