The Beginning of Knowledge (Proverbs 9:1–12)
1 DBY Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: BSB BSB: These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
2 DBY to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding; BSB BSB: for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
3 DBY to receive the instruction of wisdom, righteousness and judgment, and equity; BSB BSB: and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
4 DBY to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. BSB BSB: To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
5 DBY He that is wise will hear, and will increase learning; and the intelligent will gain wise counsels: BSB BSB: let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
6 DBY to understand a proverb and an allegory, the words of the wise and their enigmas. BSB BSB: by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 DBY The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge: fools despise wisdom and instruction. BSB BSB: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
The Enticement of Sin 8 DBY Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother; BSB BSB: Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
9 DBY for they shall be a garland of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. BSB BSB: For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
10 DBY My son, if sinners entice thee, consent not. BSB BSB: My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
11 DBY If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; BSB BSB: If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
12 DBY let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; BSB BSB: let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit.
13 DBY we shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: BSB BSB: We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
14 DBY cast in thy lot among us; we will all have one purse: BSB BSB: Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
15 DBY — my son, walk not in the way with them, keep back thy foot from their path; BSB BSB: my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
16 DBY for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. BSB BSB: For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
17 DBY For in vain the net is spread in the sight of anything which hath wings. BSB BSB: How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
18 DBY And these lay wait for their own blood; they lurk secretly for their own lives. BSB BSB: But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
19 DBY So are the paths of every one that is greedy of gain: it taketh away the life of its possessors. BSB BSB: Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
Wisdom Calls Aloud 20 DBY Wisdom crieth without; she raiseth her voice in the broadways; BSB BSB: Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
21 DBY she calleth in the chief place of concourse, in the entry of the gates; in the city she uttereth her words: BSB BSB: in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
22 DBY How long, simple ones, will ye love simpleness, and scorners take pleasure in their scorning, and the foolish hate knowledge? BSB BSB: “How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
23 DBY Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour forth my spirit unto you, I will make known to you my words. BSB BSB: If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.
24 DBY Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one regarded; BSB BSB: Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
25 DBY and ye have rejected all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: BSB BSB: because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
26 DBY I also will laugh in your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh; BSB BSB: in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
27 DBY when your fear cometh as sudden destruction, and your calamity cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you: BSB BSB: when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
28 DBY — then will they call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me early, and shall not find me. BSB BSB: Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
29 DBY Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Jehovah; BSB BSB: For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
30 DBY they would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof: BSB BSB: They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
31 DBY therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their way, and be filled with their own devices. BSB BSB: So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 DBY For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall cause them to perish. BSB BSB: For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 DBY But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be at rest from fear of evil. BSB BSB: But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.