Proverbs 1-3

Easy-to-Read Version

Introduction

1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, the son of David and king of Israel. ² They will help you learn to be wise, to accept correction, and to understand wise sayings. ³ They will teach you to develop your mind in the right way. You will learn to do what is right and to be honest and fair. ⁴ These proverbs will make even those without education smart. They will teach young people what they need to know and how to use what they have learned. ⁵ Even the wise could become wiser by listening to these proverbs. They will gain understanding and learn to solve difficult problems. ⁶ These sayings will help you understand proverbs, stories with hidden meanings, words of the wise, and other difficult sayings.

⁷ Knowledge begins with fear and respect for the Lord, but stubborn fools hate wisdom and refuse to learn.

Advice to a Son

⁸ My son,^[a] listen to your father when he corrects you, and don’t ignore what your mother teaches you. ⁹ What you learn from your parents will bring you honor and respect, like a crown or a gold medal.^[b]

¹⁰ My son, those who love to do wrong will try to trick you. Don’t listen to them. ¹¹ They will say, “Come with us. Let’s hide and beat to death anyone who happens to walk by. ¹² We will swallow them whole, as the grave swallows the dying. ¹³ We will take everything they have and fill our houses with stolen goods. ¹⁴ So join us, and you can share everything we get.”

¹⁵ My son, don’t follow them. Don’t even take the first step along that path. ¹⁶ They run to do something evil, and they cannot wait to kill someone.

¹⁷ You cannot trap birds with a net if they see you spreading it out. ¹⁸ But evil people cannot see the trap they set for themselves. ¹⁹ This is what happens to those who are greedy. Whatever they get destroys them.

The Good Woman—Wisdom

²⁰ Listen! Wisdom^[c] is shouting in the streets. She is crying out in the marketplace. ²¹ She is calling out where the noisy crowd gathers:

²² “Fools, how long will you love being ignorant? How long will you make fun of wisdom? How long will you hate knowledge? ²³ I wanted to tell you everything I knew and give you all my knowledge, but you didn’t listen to my advice and teaching.

²⁴ “I tried to help, but you refused to listen. I offered my hand, but you turned away from me. ²⁵ You ignored my advice and refused to be corrected. ²⁶ So I will laugh at your troubles and make fun of you when what you fear happens. ²⁷ Disasters will strike you like a storm. Problems will pound you like a strong wind. Trouble and misery will weigh you down.

²⁸ “Fools will call for me, but I will not answer. They will look for me, but they will not find me. ²⁹ That is because they hated knowledge. They refused to fear and respect the Lord. ³⁰ They ignored my advice and refused to be corrected. ³¹ They filled their lives with what they wanted. They went their own way, so they will get what they deserve.

³² “Fools die because they refuse to follow wisdom. They are content to follow their foolish ways, and that will destroy them. ³³ But those who listen to me will live in safety and comfort. They will have nothing to fear.”

Listen to Wisdom

2 My son, pay attention to what I say. Remember my commands. ² Listen to wisdom, and do your best to understand. ³ Ask for good judgment. Cry out for understanding. ⁴ Look for wisdom like silver. Search for it like hidden treasure. ⁵ If you do this, you will understand what it means to respect the Lord, and you will come to know God.

⁶ The Lord is the source of wisdom; knowledge and understanding come from his mouth. ⁷ He gives good advice to honest people and shields those who do what is right. ⁸ He makes sure that people are treated fairly. He watches over his loyal followers.

⁹ If you listen to him, you will understand what is just and fair and how to do what is right. ¹⁰ You will gain wisdom, and knowledge will bring you joy.

¹¹ Planning ahead will protect you, and understanding will guard you. ¹² These will keep you from following the wrong path and will protect you from those who have evil plans. ¹³ Such people have left the straight path and now walk in darkness. ¹⁴ They enjoy doing evil and are happy with the confusion it brings. ¹⁵ Their ways are crooked; they lie and cheat.

¹⁶ Wisdom will save you from that other woman, another man’s wife, who tempts you with sweet words. ¹⁷ She married when she was young, but then she left her husband. She forgot the marriage vows she made before God. ¹⁸ Going into her house leads to death. She will lead you to the grave. ¹⁹ All who enter lose their life and never return.

²⁰ Wisdom will help you follow the example of good people and stay on the right path. ²¹ Honest people will live in the land, and those who do right will remain there. ²² But the wicked will be forced to leave. Those who lie and cheat will be thrown out of the land.

The Blessing of Wisdom

3 My son, don’t forget my teaching. Remember what I tell you to do. ² What I teach will give you a good, long life, and all will go well for you.

³ Don’t ever let love and loyalty leave you. Tie them around your neck, and write them on your heart. ⁴ Then God will be pleased and think well of you and so will everyone else.

⁵ Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. ⁶ With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way. ⁷ Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil. ⁸ If you do this, it will be like a refreshing drink and medicine for your body.

⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth and the first part of your harvest. ¹⁰ Then your barns will be full of grain, and your barrels will be overflowing with wine.

¹¹ My son, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be angry when he corrects you. ¹² The Lord corrects the one he loves, just as a father corrects a child he cares about.

¹³ Those who find wisdom are fortunate; they will be blessed when they gain understanding. ¹⁴ Profit that comes from wisdom is better than silver and even the finest gold. ¹⁵ Wisdom is worth more than fine jewels. Nothing you desire has more value.

¹⁶ With her right hand, Wisdom offers long life—with the other hand, riches and honor. ¹⁷ Wisdom will lead you to a life of joy and peace. ¹⁸ Wisdom is like a life-giving tree to those who hold on to her; she is a blessing to those who keep her close.

¹⁹ With wisdom and understanding, the Lord created the earth and sky. ²⁰ With his knowledge, he made the oceans and the clouds that produce rain.

²¹ My son, don’t ever let wisdom out of your sight. Hold on to wisdom and careful planning. ²² They will bring you a long life filled with honor. ²³ As you go through life, you will always be safe and never fall. ²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid. When you rest, your sleep will be peaceful. ²⁵ You have no reason to fear a sudden disaster or the destruction that comes to the wicked. ²⁶ You can trust the Lord to protect you. He will not let you fall into harm.

²⁷ Do everything you possibly can for those who need help. ²⁸ If your neighbor needs something you have, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow.” Give it to him immediately.

²⁹ Don’t make plans to harm your neighbor, who lives near you and trusts you.^[d]

³⁰ Don’t take people to court without good reason, especially when they have done nothing to harm you.

³¹ Don’t envy those who are violent. Never choose to be like them. ³² Such crooked people are disgusting to the Lord. But he is a friend to those who are good and honest.

³³ The Lord curses a wicked family, but he blesses the homes of those who live right.

³⁴ He will humiliate those who make fun of others, but he is kind to those who are humble.

³⁵ The way the wise live will bring them honor, but the way fools live will bring them shame.