Proverbs · Catholic Public Domain Version
Proverbs 1 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel,
1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
2 in order to know wisdom and discipline,
2 to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
3 to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents.
4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—
5 By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments.
5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;
6 He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas.
6 to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine.
7 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother,
8 My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
9 so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck.
9 for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners should entice you, do not consent to them.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
11 If they should say: “Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause.
11 If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
12 Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit.
12 Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit.
13 We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils.
13 We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.
14 Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all.”
14 You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse”—
15 My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths.
15 my son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,
16 For their feet rush to evil, and they hurry to shed blood.
16 for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
17 But a net is thrown in vain before the eyes of those who have wings.
17 For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
18 Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls.
18 but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess.
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.
20 Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets.
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
21 She cries out at the head of crowds; at the entrance of the gates of the city, she offers her words, saying:
21 She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
22 “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 knowledge?
22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you.
23 Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
24 For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched.
24 Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
25 You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes.
25 but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
26 Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome you.
26 I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you,
27 When sudden calamity rushes upon you, and your demise advances like a tempest, when tribulation and anguish overcome you,
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you.
28 then they will call to me, and I will not heed, they will arise in the morning, and not find me.
28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,
29 For they held hatred for discipline, and they would not accept the fear of the Lord;
29 because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.
30 they would not consent to my counsel, but they detracted from all of my corrections.
30 They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels.
31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.
32 The loathing of the little ones shall destroy them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall perish them.
32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils.”
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”
Cross references (32)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 10:1; 1 Chronicles 22:9; 1 Chronicles 28:5; Ecclesiastes 1:1; Proverbs 25:1
- 2 Proverbs 7:4; Deuteronomy 4:5–6; Proverbs 17:16; 2 Timothy 3:15–17; 1 Kings 3:9–12
- 3 Proverbs 2:1–9; Job 22:22; 1 Kings 3:28; Proverbs 8:10–11
- 4 Proverbs 8:5; Proverbs 8:17; Psalm 119:9; Psalm 119:130; Proverbs 8:32
- 5 Proverbs 12:1; Proverbs 9:9; 1 Corinthians 10:15; Job 34:10; Job 34:16
- 6 Psalm 78:2; Mark 4:11; Psalm 49:4; Hebrews 5:14; Acts 8:30–31
- 7 Job 28:28; Proverbs 9:10; Psalms 111:10–112:1; Ecclesiastes 12:13; Proverbs 15:33
- 8 Proverbs 6:20; Proverbs 30:17; Proverbs 5:1–2; Proverbs 31:1; 2 Timothy 1:5
- 9 Proverbs 4:9; Daniel 5:29; Genesis 41:42; Proverbs 6:20–21; Proverbs 3:22
- 10 Ephesians 5:11; Proverbs 16:29; Psalm 1:1; Proverbs 13:20; Deuteronomy 13:8
- 11 Proverbs 1:18; Jeremiah 5:26; Proverbs 12:6; Jeremiah 18:18–20; Acts 25:3
- 12 Psalm 124:3; Psalm 28:1; Romans 3:13; Micah 3:2–3; Psalm 5:9
- 13 1 Timothy 6:9–10; Luke 12:15; Job 24:2–3; Nahum 2:12; Isaiah 10:13–14
- 15 Psalm 119:101; Psalm 1:1; Proverbs 4:14–15; Proverbs 4:27; Psalm 26:4–5
- 16 Isaiah 59:7; Proverbs 6:18; Proverbs 4:16; Romans 3:5
- 17 Job 35:11; Jeremiah 8:7; Proverbs 7:23; Isaiah 1:3
- 18 Psalm 9:16; Esther 7:10; Proverbs 28:17; Proverbs 5:22–23; Psalm 7:14–16
- 19 Proverbs 15:27; 2 Peter 2:3; Proverbs 23:3–4; Jeremiah 22:17–19; Habakkuk 2:9
- 20 Proverbs 9:3; Colossians 2:3; Proverbs 8:1–5; Luke 11:49; 1 Corinthians 1:24
- 21 Acts 5:20; Matthew 10:27; Proverbs 9:3; Matthew 13:2; John 18:20
- 22 Proverbs 1:29; Proverbs 5:12; John 3:20; 2 Peter 3:3; Psalm 1:1
- 23 Acts 3:19; Ezekiel 33:11; Ezekiel 18:27–30; Acts 2:36–38; Joel 2:28
- 24 Romans 10:21; Isaiah 65:12; Jeremiah 7:13; Isaiah 66:4; Hebrews 12:25–26
- 25 Luke 7:30; Psalm 81:11; Proverbs 1:30; Proverbs 12:1; Psalm 107:11
- 26 Proverbs 10:24; Psalm 37:13; Psalm 2:4; Proverbs 6:15; Luke 14:24
- 27 Proverbs 3:25–26; Psalm 69:22–28; Psalm 58:9; Proverbs 10:24–25; Romans 2:9
- 28 Micah 3:4; Zechariah 7:13; James 4:3; Jeremiah 11:11; Isaiah 1:15
- 29 Proverbs 6:23; Proverbs 1:22; Job 21:14–15; Hebrews 11:25; Isaiah 27:11
- 30 Psalm 81:11; Proverbs 1:25; Luke 14:18–20; Jeremiah 8:9; Psalm 119:173
- 31 Proverbs 14:14; Jeremiah 6:19; Job 4:8; Proverbs 22:8; Galatians 6:7–8
- 32 Proverbs 8:36; John 3:36; Jeremiah 2:19; Luke 16:19–25; Hebrews 12:25
- 33 Psalm 25:12–13; Isaiah 26:3; Psalm 112:7–8; John 10:27–29; Proverbs 14:26
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For it is better for you that ye should occupy a humble but honourable place in the flock of Christ, than that, being highly exalted, ye should be cast out from the hope of His people. For thus speaketh all-virtuous Wisdom: "Behold, I will bring forth to you the words of My Spirit, and I will teach you My speech.
Now, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;" the sense of sin leads to repentance, and God bestows His compassion upon those who are penitent.
… what we read in the Proverbs of impious men saying, "Let us unrighteously hide in the earth the righteous man; yea, let us swallow him up alive as hell, and let us take away his memory from the earth: let us seize his precious possession," is not so obscure that it may not be understood, without laborious exposition, of Christ …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… and therefore the "wisdom" of God, by means of which she saves all men, "is declared in [its] going forth; it uttereth [its voice] faithfully in the streets, is preached on the tops of the walls, and speaks continually in the gates of the city." For the Church preaches the truth everywhere, and she is the seven-branched candlestick which bears …
… by ought of their own; but that wisdom was in them, of which it is written in a certain book, she shall say to those that despised her, when they have fallen upon the evils which she threatened them; "I will laugh over your destruction." What wonder then is it, that the wise mock the foolish virgins?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)