Jun 23 - Proverbs 1-3
Proverbs
1The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel2in order to know wisdom and discipline3to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity4so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents5By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments6He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine8Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother9so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck10My son, if sinners should entice you, do not consent to them11If they should say: "Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause12Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit13We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils14Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all.15My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths16For their feet rush to evil, and they hurry to shed blood17But a net is thrown in vain before the eyes of those who have wings18Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls19Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess20Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets21She cries out at the head of crowds; at the entrance of the gates of the city, she offers her words, saying22"Little ones, how long will you choose to be childish, and how long will the foolish desire what is harmful to themselves, and how long will the imprudent hate knowledge23Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you24For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched25You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes26Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome you27When sudden calamity rushes upon you, and your demise advances like a tempest, when tribulation and anguish overcome you28then they will call to me, and I will not heed, they will arise in the morning, and not find me29For they held hatred for discipline, and they would not accept the fear of the Lord30they would not consent to my counsel, but they detracted from all of my corrections31Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels32The loathing of the little ones shall destroy them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall perish them33But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils.
1My son, if you would accept my words, and conceal my commandments within you2so that your ears may listen to wisdom, then bend your heart in order to know prudence3For if you would call upon wisdom and bend your heart to prudence4if you will seek her like money, and dig for her as if for treasure5then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will discover the knowledge of God6For the Lord bestows wisdom, and out of his mouth, prudence and knowledge7He will preserve the salvation of the righteous, and he will protect those who walk in simplicity8serving the paths of justice, and guarding the ways of sanctity9Then you shall understand justice and judgment, and equity, and every good path10If wisdom is to enter into your heart, and if knowledge is to become pleasing to your soul11then counsel must guard you, and prudence must serve you12so that you may be rescued from the evil way, and from the man who speaks perversities13from those who leave the straight path to walk in dark ways14who rejoice when they have done evil, and who exult in the most wicked things15Their ways are perverse, and their steps are infamous16So may you be rescued from the foreign woman, and from the outsider, who softens her speech17and who leaves behind the Guide of her youth18and who has forgotten the covenant of her God. For her household inclines toward death, and her paths toward Hell19All those who enter to her will not return again, nor will they take hold of the paths of life20So may you walk in the good way, and keep to the difficult paths of the just21For those who are upright shall live upon the earth, and the simple shall continue upon it22Yet truly, the impious shall perish from the earth, and those who act unjustly shall be taken away from it
1My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart guard my precepts2For they shall set before you length of days, and years of life, and peace3Let not mercy and truth abandon you: encircle them around your throat, and inscribe them on the tablets of your heart4And so shall you discover grace and good discipline, in the sight of God and men5Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence6In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps7Do not seem wise to yourself. Fear God, and withdraw from evil8Certainly, it shall be health to your navel, and refreshment to your bones9Honor the Lord with your substance, and give to him from the first of all your fruits10and then your storehouses will be filled with abundance, and your presses shall overflow with wine11My son, do not discard the discipline of the Lord, and do not fall away when you are corrected by him12For whomever the Lord loves, he corrects, and just as a father does with a son, he wins him over13Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and who advances to prudence14Her acquisition is better than trading in silver, and her fruit is better than the first and purest gold15She is more precious than all riches, and all that can be desired cannot prevail in comparison to her16Length of days is at her right hand, and at her left hand is wealth and glory17Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceful18She is a tree of life to those who overtake her, and he who shall take hold of her is blessed19The Lord founded the earth on wisdom. He secured the heavens with prudence20By his wisdom, the abyss erupted and the clouds increased with dew21My son, let not these things move away from your eyes. Preserve law as well as counsel22And so shall there be life in your soul and grace in your voice23Then you shall walk confidently in your way, and your feet will not stumble24When you slumber, you shall not fear. When you rest, your sleep also will be sweet25Do not fear unexpected terror, nor the power of the impious falling upon you26For the Lord will be at your side, and he will guard your feet, so that you may not be seized27Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too28Do not say to your friend: "Go away, and then return. Tomorrow I will give to you." When you are able to do so, give in the present29Do not undertake evil against your friend, even though he has trust in you30Do not contend against a man without cause, even though he has done no evil to you31Do not rival an unjust man, and do not imitate his ways32For everyone who ridicules is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is for the simple33Destitution in the house of the impious is from the Lord. But the habitations of the just shall be blessed34He will ridicule those who ridicule, but he will bestow grace upon the mild35The wise will possess glory. The exaltation of the foolish is disgraceful