Proverbs 1

The father introduces the purpose of Proverbs — to give wisdom, instruction, and knowledge — and lays the foundation: the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. He warns his son against the enticement of sinners, and Wisdom herself cries in the streets, promising security to those who listen and ruin to those who refuse.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;	The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2	To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;	to know wisdom and instruction, to discern words of understanding;
3	To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;	to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and fairness;
4	To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.	to give shrewdness to the simple, and to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5	A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:	A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will gain wise counsel:
6	To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.	to understand a proverb and its interpretation, the words of the wise and their riddles.
7	The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.	The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8	My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:	My son, hear the instruction of Your father, and do not forsake the teaching of Your mother.
9	For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.	For they will be an ornament of grace on Your head, and chains around Your neck.
10	My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.	My son, if sinners entice You, do not consent.
11	If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:	If they say, "Come with us; let us lie in wait for blood, let us secretly ambush the innocent without cause;
12	Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:	let us swallow them up alive like the grave, and whole, like those who go down into the pit;
13	We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:	we will find all kinds of precious goods, we will fill our houses with plunder;
14	Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:	cast in your lot with us; we will all share one purse" —
15	My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:	my son, do not walk in the way with them; keep your foot from their path.
16	For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.	For their feet run to evil, and they hurry to shed blood.
17	Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.	Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
18	And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.	They lie in wait for their own blood; they secretly ambush their own lives.
19	So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.	Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of those who possess it.
20	Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:	Wisdom cries aloud outside; she raises her voice in the streets.
21	She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,	She cries out in the chief places of gathering, at the openings of the gates; in the city she speaks her words:
22	How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?	"How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
23	Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.	Turn at my rebuke. I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make known my words to you.
24	Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;	Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one paid heed;
25	But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:	because you set at nothing all my counsel, and would have none of my rebuke,
26	I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;	I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes —
27	When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.	when your fear comes like desolation, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you.
28	Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:	Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me early, but they will not find me.
29	For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:	Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
30	They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.	they would have none of my counsel; they despised all my rebuke.
31	Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.	Therefore they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32	For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.	For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the prosperity of fools will destroy them.
33	But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.	But whoever listens to me will live safely, and will be at peace, without fear of evil."