Dee Sprejchwead fonn Salamo, Doft sien Sän, Kjeenijch enn Iesrael.

Weisheit un Unjarejchte to kjane; dee Wead fonn Festentnis to festone;

Unjarejchte to kjriehe enn Fäabedocht, Jerajcht, Jerejcht un Opprajchtijchkjeit;

En Senn to jäwe to dee Jugent, Wissenschoft un Fäasejcht to däm junja Maun.

– dee Weisa heat un nemt too enn Leare; un soone dee festone woare aunjeseene aus Weis –

En Sprejchwuat to festone un en onkloaret Weadabilt; dee Weise äare Wead, un dän äa Rotsel.

Däm Herr to ferjchte es dee Aunfank fonn Weisheit; Noare feachte Weisheit un Unjarejchte.

Mien Sän, horjch no dien Foda sien Unjarejchte; un doo nijch diene Mutta äa Ennleare felote;

dan dee woare en Utputsdinkj fonn Jnod senne romm dien Kopp, un Kjäde romm dien Jnekj.

10 Mien Sän, wan Sinda die locke, sie nijch wellijch.

11 Wan dee saje: "Komm met onns met, well wie heemlijch luare no Bloot; well wie heemlijch luare dee Onschuldje to jriepe oone Uasoak;

12 Well wie dän läwendijch oppschlucke soo aus daut Grauf, un dän dee rauf gone enne Kul,

13 Wie woare aulahaunt fa weatfolle Sache finje; wie woare onnse Hiesa felle met Raup;

14 Komm met onns met; wie woare aula toop eene Jeltausch ha."

15 Mien Sän, go nijch met an met enn äa Wajch! Hool dien Foot wajch fonn äa Stijch;

16 dan äare Feet ranne Beeset hinjaraun, un dee spoode sikj Bloot to fejeete.

17 Dan daut Nat woat emm sonnst utjespreet wan jieda Foagel daut seene kaun.

18 Un dee luare emm Jeheeme fa äa eajnet Bloot; dee schlikje sikj romm jeheemlijch fa äare eajne Seele.

19 Soo sent aul dän äare Wäaj dee beeset Loon kjriehe; daut nemt däm Eajendeema siene Seel wajch.

20 Weisheit schrijcht lud enn dee Staut Wäaj; see es to heare enn dee Staut Gausse;

21 see roopt bie dee Städ wua dee Mensche sikj fesaumle, wua dee Puate opjemoakt woare; enn dee Grootstaut sent äare Wead to heare:

22 Woo lang woa jie daut leef ha eefeltijch to senne, jie Eefeltje? Un woo lang woare Spatte spotte, un Noare Wissenschoft hausse?

23 Drei trigj un nemm miene Woarninj aun; see, ekj woa mien Jeist opp die utjeete; ekj woa miene Wead bekaunt moake to die.

24 Wiels ekj jeroopt ha, un du daut aufjesajcht hast; ha ekj miene Haunt utjestrakjt, un kjeena haft daut aunjenome;

25 oba du hast mien Rot nijch acht jejäft; du wust miene Woarninj nijch;

26 Woa ekj uk lache wan dien Onjlekj kjemt, ekj woa spotte wan dien Angst kjemt;

27 wan dien Schrakj kjemt soo aus en Storm; un dien Onjlekj kjemt soo aus en willa Storm wan Älend un dien Trigjhoole opp die kjemt.

28 Dan woare see mie aunroope, un ekj woa nijch auntwuate; dee woare mie Tiedijch seakje, oba woare mie nijch finje.

29 Daut see Wissenschoft hausste, un wälde nijch däm Herr Gott siene Forjcht.

30 Dee wulle mien Rot nijch, dee deede mien dodle feachte;

31 un dee woare daut Frucht fonn äa eajna Wajch äte, un jefelt senne met äare eajne Losst.

32 Daut auntsied gone fonn dee Eefeltje woat am ommbrinje, un dee Noare äare Leijchtheit woat an fenijchte.

33 Oba wäa no Mie horjcht saul sejcha läwe; un woat enn Ru senne fonn daut Schrakj fonn Beeset.

Purpose and Theme

The proverbs(A) of Solomon(B) son of David, king of Israel:(C)

for gaining wisdom and instruction;
    for understanding words of insight;
for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
    doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to those who are simple,[a](D)
    knowledge and discretion(E) to the young—
let the wise listen and add to their learning,(F)
    and let the discerning get guidance—
for understanding proverbs and parables,(G)
    the sayings and riddles(H) of the wise.[b](I)

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

Listen, my son,(M) to your father’s(N) instruction
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(O)
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

  1. Proverbs 1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs denotes a person who is gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil.
  2. Proverbs 1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles
  3. Proverbs 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient.
  4. Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners