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Proverbs 1
International Children’s Bible
Proverbs 1
International Children’s Bible
Why Proverbs Is Important
1 These are the wise words of Solomon son of David. Solomon was king of Israel.
2 They teach wisdom and self-control.
They give understanding.
3 They will teach you how to be wise and self-controlled.
They will teach you what is honest and fair and right.
4 They give the ability to think to those with little knowledge.
They give knowledge and good sense to the young.
5 Wise people should also listen to them and learn even more.
Even they can find good advice in these words.
6 Then they will be able to understand wise words and stories.
They will understand the words of wise men and their riddles.
7 Knowledge begins with respect for the Lord.
But foolish people hate wisdom and discipline.
Warnings Against Evil
8 My child, listen to your father’s teaching.
And do not forget your mother’s advice.
9 Their teaching will beautify your life.
It will be like flowers in your hair or a chain around your neck.
10 My child, sinners will try to lead you into sin.
But do not follow them.
11 They might say, “Come with us.
Let’s ambush and kill someone.
Let’s attack some harmless person just for fun.
12 Let’s swallow them alive, as death does.
Let’s swallow them whole, as the grave does.
13 We will take all kinds of valuable things.
We will fill our houses with what we steal.
14 Come join us,
and we will share with you what we steal.”
15 My child, do not go along with them.
Do not do what they do.
16 They run to do evil.
They are quick to kill.
17 It is useless to spread out a net
right where the birds can see it!
18 These men are setting their own trap.
They will only catch themselves!
19 All greedy people end up this way.
Greed takes away the life of the greedy person.
Wisdom Speaks
20 Wisdom is like a good woman who shouts in the street.
She raises her voice in the city squares.
21 She cries out in the noisy street.
She makes her speech at the city gates:
22 “You foolish people! How long do you want to stay foolish?
How long will you make fun of wisdom?
How long will you hate knowledge?
23 Listen when I correct you.
I will tell you what’s in my heart.
I will tell you what I am thinking.
24 I called, but you refused to listen.
I held out my hand, but you paid no attention.
25 You did not follow my advice.
You did not want me to correct you.
26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble.
I will make fun when disaster happens to you.
27 Disaster will come over you like a storm.
Trouble will strike you like a whirlwind.
Pain and trouble will overwhelm you.
28 “Then you will call out to me.
But I will not answer.
You will look for me.
But you will not find me.
29 You rejected knowledge.
You did not choose to respect the Lord.
30 You did not accept my advice.
You rejected my correction.
31 So you will get what you deserve.
You will get what you planned for others.
32 Fools wander away and get killed.
They are destroyed because they do not care.
33 But those who listen to me will live in safety.
They will be safe, without fear of being hurt.”
Proverbs 1
New International Version
Proverbs 1
New International Version
Purpose and Theme
1 The proverbs(A) of Solomon(B) son of David, king of Israel:(C)
2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to those who are simple,[a](D)
knowledge and discretion(E) to the young—
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,(F)
and let the discerning get guidance—
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,(G)
the sayings and riddles(H) of the wise.[b](I)
7 The fear of the Lord(J) is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools[c] despise wisdom(K) and instruction.(L)
Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom
Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men
8 Listen, my son,(M) to your father’s(N) instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(O)
9 They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.(P)
10 My son, if sinful men entice(Q) you,
do not give in(R) to them.(S)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait(T) for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12 let’s swallow(U) them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;(V)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14 cast lots with us;
we will all share the loot(W)”—
15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot(X) on their paths;(Y)
16 for their feet rush into evil,(Z)
they are swift to shed blood.(AA)
17 How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18 These men lie in wait(AB) for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!(AC)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.(AD)
Wisdom’s Rebuke
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(AE)
she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[d] she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you who are simple(AF) love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate(AG) knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse(AH) to listen when I call(AI)
and no one pays attention(AJ) when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh(AK) when disaster(AL) strikes you;
I will mock(AM) when calamity overtakes you(AN)—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster(AO) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(AP)
they will look for me but will not find me,(AQ)
29 since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.(AR)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,(AS)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(AT)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(AU)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(AV)
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(AW)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs denotes a person who is gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil.
- Proverbs 1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles
- Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.
- Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners
International Children’s Bible (ICB) 
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.