Journey Through God's Word

¹Hear, O children, the instruction of a father, And pay attention [and be willing to learn] so that you may gain understanding and intelligent discernment.

²For I give you good doctrine; Do not turn away from my instruction.

³When I was a son with my father (David), Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother (Bathsheba),

⁴He taught me and said to me, "Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live.

⁵"Get [skillful and godly] wisdom! Acquire understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation]! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

⁶"Do not turn away from her (Wisdom) and she will guard and protect you; Love her, and she will watch over you.

⁷"The beginning of wisdom is: Get [skillful and godly] wisdom [it is preeminent]! And with all your acquiring, get understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation].

⁸"Prize wisdom [and exalt her], and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her.

⁹"She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty and glory."

¹⁰Hear, my son, and accept my sayings, And the years of your life will be many.

¹¹I have instructed you in the way of [skillful and godly] wisdom; I have led you in upright paths.

¹²When you walk, your steps will not be impeded [for your path will be clear and open]; And when you run, you will not stumble.

¹³Take hold of instruction; [actively seek it, grip it firmly and] do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life.

¹⁴Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not go the way of evil men.

¹⁵Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.

¹⁶For the wicked cannot sleep unless they do evil; And they are deprived of sleep unless they make someone stumble and fall.

¹⁷For they eat the bread of wickedness And drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸But the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day.

¹⁹The way of the wicked is like [deep] darkness; They do not know over what they stumble.

²⁰My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn; Open your ears to my sayings.

²¹Do not let them escape from your sight; Keep them in the center of your heart.

²²For they are life to those who find them, And healing and health to all their flesh.

²³Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.

²⁴Put away from you a deceitful (lying, misleading) mouth, And put devious lips far from you.

²⁵Let your eyes look directly ahead [toward the path of moral courage] And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you [toward the path of integrity].

²⁶Consider well and watch carefully the path of your feet, And all your ways will be steadfast and sure.

²⁷Do not turn away to the right nor to the left [where evil may lurk]; Turn your foot from [the path of] evil.

¹Wisdom has built her [spacious and sufficient] house; She has hewn out and set up her seven pillars.

²She has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine; She has also set her table.

³She has sent out her maidens, she calls From the highest places of the city:

⁴"Whoever is naive or inexperienced, let him turn in here!" As for him who lacks understanding, she says,

⁵"Come, eat my food And drink the wine I have mixed [and accept my gifts].

⁶"Leave [behind] your foolishness [and the foolish] and live, And walk in the way of insight and understanding."

⁷He who corrects and instructs a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man gets insults for himself.

⁸Do not correct a scoffer [who foolishly ridicules and takes no responsibility for his error] or he will hate you; Correct a wise man [who learns from his error], and he will love you.

⁹Give instruction to a wise man and he will become even wiser; Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

¹⁰The [reverent] fear of the LORD [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight.

¹¹For by me (wisdom from God) your days will be multiplied, And years of life shall be increased.

¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself [for your own benefit]; If you scoff [thoughtlessly ridicule and disdain], you alone will pay the penalty.

¹³The foolish woman is restless and noisy; She is naive and easily misled and thoughtless, and knows nothing at all [of eternal value].

¹⁴She sits at the doorway of her house, On a seat by the high and conspicuous places of the city,

¹⁵Calling to those who pass by, Who are making their paths straight:

¹⁶"Whoever is naive or inexperienced, let him turn in here!" And to him who lacks understanding (common sense), she says,

¹⁷"Stolen waters (pleasures) are sweet [because they are forbidden]; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant."

¹⁸But he does not know that the spirits of the dead are there, And that her guests are [already] in the depths of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead).

¹Wine is a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler; And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.

²The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.

³It is an honor for a man to keep away from strife [by handling situations with thoughtful foresight], But any fool will [start a] quarrel [without regard for the consequences].

⁴The lazy man does not plow when the winter [planting] season arrives; So he begs at the [next] harvest and has nothing [to reap].

⁵A plan (motive, wise counsel) in the heart of a man is like water in a deep well, But a man of understanding draws it out.

⁶Many a man proclaims his own loyalty and goodness, But who can find a faithful and trustworthy man?

⁷The righteous man who walks in integrity and lives life in accord with his [godly] beliefs— How blessed [happy and spiritually secure] are his children after him [who have his example to follow].

⁸A [discerning] king who sits on the throne of judgment Sifts all evil [like chaff] with his eyes [and cannot be easily fooled].

⁹Who can say, "I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin?"

¹⁰Differing weights [one for buying and another for selling] and differing measures, Both of them are detestable and offensive to the LORD.

¹¹Even a boy is known and distinguished by his acts, Whether his conduct is pure and right.

¹²The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The [omnipotent] LORD has made both of them.

¹³Do not love [excessive] sleep, or you will become poor; Open your eyes [so that you can do your work] and you will be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴"It is [almost] worthless, it is [almost] worthless," says the buyer [as he negotiates the price]; But when he goes his way, then he boasts [about his bargain].

¹⁵There is gold, and an abundance of pearls, But the lips of knowledge are a vessel of preciousness [the most precious of all].

¹⁶[The judge tells the creditor], "Take the clothes of one who is surety for a stranger; And hold him in pledge [when he guarantees a loan] for foreigners."

¹⁷Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel [just as sin may be sweet at first, but later its consequences bring despair].

¹⁸Plans are established by counsel; So make war [only] with wise guidance.

¹⁹He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with a gossip [who talks freely or flatters].

²⁰Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp [of life] will be extinguished in time of darkness.

²¹An inheritance hastily gained [by greedy, unjust means] at the beginning Will not be blessed in the end.

²²Do not say, "I will repay evil"; Wait [expectantly] for the LORD, and He will rescue and save you.

²³Differing weights are detestable and offensive to the LORD, And fraudulent scales are not good.

²⁴Man's steps are ordered and ordained by the LORD. How then can a man [fully] understand his way?

²⁵It is a trap for a man to [ speak a vow of consecration and] say rashly, "It is holy!" And [not until] afterward consider [whether he can fulfill it].

²⁶A wise king sifts out the wicked [from among the good] And drives the [threshing] wheel over them [to separate the chaff from the grain].

²⁷The spirit (conscience) of man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching and examining all the innermost parts of his being.

²⁸Loyalty and mercy, truth and faithfulness, protect the king, And he upholds his throne by lovingkindness.

²⁹The glory of young men is their [physical] strength, And the honor of aged men is their gray head [representing wisdom and experience].

³⁰Blows that wound cleanse away evil, And strokes reach to the innermost parts.