1:1 The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
1:2 To learn wisdom and moral instruction, and to discern wise counsel.
1:3 To receive moral instruction in skillful living, in righteousness, justice, and equity.
1:4 To impart shrewdness to the morally naive, and a discerning plan to the young person.
1:5 (Let the wise also hear and gain instruction, and let the discerning acquire guidance!)
1:6 To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable, the sayings of the wise and their riddles.
1:7 Fearing the Lord is the beginning of moral knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
1:8 Listen, my child, to the instruction from your father, and do not forsake the teaching from your mother.
1:9 For they will be like an elegant garland on your head, and like pendants around your neck.
1:10 My child, if sinners try to entice you, do not consent!
1:11 If they say, “Come with us! We will lie in wait to shed blood; we will ambush an innocent person capriciously.
1:12 We will swallow them alive like Sheol, those full of vigor like those going down to the Pit.
1:13 We will seize all kinds of precious wealth; we will fill our houses with plunder.
1:14 Join with us! We will all share equally in what we steal.”
1:15 My child, do not go down their way, withhold yourself from their path;
1:16 for they are eager to inflict harm, and they hasten to shed blood.
1:17 Surely it is futile to spread a net in view of any bird,