The Beginning of Knowledge (Proverbs 9:1–12)
1 DRA The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel. BSB BSB: These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
2 DRA To know wisdom, and instruction: BSB BSB: for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
3 DRA To understand the words of prudence: and to receive the instruction of doctrine, justice, and judgment, and equity: BSB BSB: and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
4 DRA To give subtilty to little ones, to the young man knowledge and understanding. BSB BSB: To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
5 DRA A wise man shall hear and shall be wiser: and he that understandeth, shall possess governments. BSB BSB: let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
6 DRA He shall understand a parable, and the interpretation, the words of the wise, and their mysterious sayings. BSB BSB: by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 DRA The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 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 DRA My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: BSB BSB: Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
9 DRA That grace may be added to thy head, and a chain of gold to thy neck. BSB BSB: For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
10 DRA My son, if sinners shall entice thee, consent not to them. BSB BSB: My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
11 DRA If they shall say: Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide snares 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 DRA Let us swallow him up alive like hell, and whole as one that goeth down into the pit. BSB BSB: let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit.
13 DRA We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoils. BSB BSB: We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
14 DRA Cast in thy lot with us, let us all have one purse. BSB BSB: Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
15 DRA My son, walk not thou with them, restrain thy foot from their paths. BSB BSB: my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
16 DRA For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. BSB BSB: For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
17 DRA But a net is spread in vain before the eyes of them that have wings. BSB BSB: How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
18 DRA And they themselves lie in wait for their own blood, and practise deceits against their own souls. BSB BSB: But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
19 DRA So the wage of every covetous man destroy the souls of the 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 DRA Wisdom preacheth abroad, she uttereth her voice in the streets: BSB BSB: Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
21 DRA At the head of multitudes she crieth out, in the entrance of the gates of the city she uttereth her words, saying: BSB BSB: in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
22 DRA O children, how long will you love childishness, and fools covet those things which are hurtful to themselves, and the unwise 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 DRA Turn ye at my reproof: behold I will utter my spirit to you, and will shew 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 DRA Because I called, and you refused: I stretched out my hand, and there was none that regarded. BSB BSB: Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
25 DRA You have despised all my counsel, and have neglected my reprehensions. BSB BSB: because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
26 DRA I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that shall come to you which you feared. BSB BSB: in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
27 DRA When sudden calamity shall fall on you, and destruction, as a tempest, shall be at hand: when tribulation and distress shall 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 DRA Then shall they call upon me, and I will not hear: they shall rise in the morning 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 DRA Because they have hated instruction and received not the fear of the Lord, BSB BSB: For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
30 DRA Nor consented to my counsel, but despised all my reproof. BSB BSB: They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
31 DRA Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and shall 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 DRA The turning away of little ones shall kill them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. BSB BSB: For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 DRA But he that shall hear me, shall rest without terror, and shall enjoy abundance, without fear of evils. 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.