The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Proverbs 1

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Ketuvim — the Writings

Proverbs chapter 1 — part of the Ketuvim — the Writings in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “THE PROVERBS of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;” — the complete text of all 33 verses is below, free to read online.

1THE PROVERBS of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

2To know wisdom and instruction; to comprehend the words of understanding;

3To receive the discipline of wisdom, justice, and right, and equity;

4To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion;

5That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and the man of understanding may attain unto wise counsels;

6To understand a proverb, and a figure; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

7The fear of HaShem is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and discipline.

8Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother;

9For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

10My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

11If they say: 'Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us lurk for the innocent without cause;

12Let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit;

13We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil;

14Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse'--

15My son, walk not thou in the way with them, restrain thy foot from their path;

16For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

17For in vain the net is spread in the eyes of any bird;

18And these lie in wait for their own blood, they lurk for their own lives.

19So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; it taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

20Wisdom crieth aloud in the streets, she uttereth her voice in the broad places;

21She calleth at the head of the noisy streets, at the entrances of the gates, in the city, she uttereth her words:

22'How long, ye thoughtless, will ye love thoughtlessness? And how long will scorners delight them in scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

23Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

24Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man attended,

25But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof;

26I also, in your calamity, will laugh, I will mock when your dread cometh;

27When your dread cometh as a storm, and your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; when trouble and distress come upon you.

28Then will they call me, but I will not answer, they will seek me earnestly, but they shall not find me.

29For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of HaShem;

30They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof.

31Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

32For the waywardness of the thoughtless shall slay them, and the confidence of fools shall destroy them.

33But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.'

33 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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