December 4 – Proverbs 1 from the New Testament
Proverbs 1 – Introduction to the Book
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.
Introduction to the Theme of the Book
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.
Admonition to Avoid Easy but Unjust Riches
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 plain sight of any bird,
1:18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood,
they ambush their own lives!
1:19 Such are the ways of all who gain profit unjustly;
it takes away the life of those who obtain it!
Warning Against Disregarding Wisdom
1:20 Wisdom calls out in the street,
she shouts loudly in the plazas;
1:21 at the head of the noisy streets she calls,
in the entrances of the gates in the city she utters her words:
1:22 “How long will you simpletons love naiveté?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
1:23 If only you will respond to my rebuke,
then I will pour out my thoughts to you
and I will make my words known to you.
1:24 However, because I called but you refused to listen,
because I stretched out my hand but no one paid attention,
1:25 because you neglected all my advice,
and did not comply with my rebuke,
1:26 so I myself will laugh when disaster strikes you,
I will mock when what you dread comes,
1:27 when what you dread comes like a whirlwind,
and disaster strikes you like a devastating storm,
when distressing trouble comes on you.
1:28 Then they will call to me, but I will not answer;
they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me.
1:29 Because they hated moral knowledge,
and did not choose to fear the Lord,
1:30 they did not comply with my advice,
they spurned all my rebuke.
1:31 Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way,
and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel.
1:32 For the waywardness of the
simpletons will kill them,
and the careless ease of fools will destroy them.
1:33 But the one who listens to me will live in security,
and will be at ease from the dread of harm.
