Proverbs 1 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Proverbs 1 (WEBP)

[1] The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
[2] to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
[3] to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
[4] to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—
[5] that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;
[6] to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
[7] The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
[8] My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
[9] for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.
[10] My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
[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’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit.
[13] We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.
[14] You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse”—
[15] my son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,
[16] for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
[17] For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
[18] but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
[19] So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.
[20] Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
[21] She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
[22] “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
[23] Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
[24] Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
[25] but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
[26] I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes 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 on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,
[29] because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.
[30] They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
[31] Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.
[32] For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
[33] But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Proverbs 1:7 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “Lord” (all caps) in other translations.
Proverbs 1:12 Sheol is the place of the dead.
Proverbs 1:23 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Proverbs 1 (KJVS)

[1] The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
[2] To know wisdom and instruction; To perceive the words of understanding;
[3] To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, and judgment, and equity;
[4] To give subtilty to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion.
[5] A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; And a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
[6] To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
[7] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
[8] My son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:
[9] For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, And chains about thy neck.
[10] My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not.
[11] If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
[12] Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; And whole, as those that go down into the pit:
[13] We shall find all precious substance, We shall fill our houses with spoil:
[14] Cast in thy lot among us; Let us all have one purse:
[15] My son, walk not thou in the way with them; Refrain thy foot from their path:
[16] For their feet run to evil, And make haste to shed blood.
[17] Surely in vain the net is spread In the sight of any bird.
[18] And they lay wait for their own blood; They lurk privily for their own lives.
[19] So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; Which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
[20] Wisdom crieth without; She uttereth her voice in the streets:
[21] She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: In the city she uttereth her words, saying,
[22] How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge?
[23] Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
[24] Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
[25] But ye have set at nought all my counsel, And would none of my reproof:
[26] I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
[27] When your fear cometh as desolation, And your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; When distress and anguish cometh upon you.
[28] Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
[29] For that they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of the Lord:
[30] They would none of my counsel: They despised all my reproof.
[31] Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own devices.
[32] For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, And the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
[33] But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, And shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Proverbs 1:3 Heb. equities
Proverbs 1:4 Or, advisement
Proverbs 1:6 Or, an eloquent speech
Proverbs 1:7 Or, the principal part
Proverbs 1:9 Heb. an adding
Proverbs 1:17 Heb. in the eyes of everything that hath a wing
Proverbs 1:20 Heb. Wisdoms, that is, excellent wisdom
Proverbs 1:32 Or, ease of the simple

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Proverbs 1 (BYZ)

[1] Παροιμίαι () Σαλωμῶντος υἱοῦ () Δαυιδ, () ὃς () ἐβασίλευσεν () ἐν () Ισραηλ, ()
[2] γνῶναι () σοφίαν () καὶ () παιδείαν () νοῆσαί () τε () λόγους () φρονήσεως ()
[3] δέξασθαί () τε () στροφὰς λόγων () νοῆσαί () τε () δικαιοσύνην () ἀληθῆ () καὶ () κρίμα () κατευθύνειν, ()
[4] ἵνα () δῷ () ἀκάκοις () πανουργίαν, () παιδὶ () δὲ () νέῳ () αἴσθησίν () τε () καὶ () ἔννοιαν· ()
[5] τῶνδε () γὰρ () ἀκούσας () σοφὸς () σοφώτερος () ἔσται, () ὁ () δὲ () νοήμων κυβέρνησιν () κτήσεται ()
[6] νοήσει () τε () παραβολὴν () καὶ () σκοτεινὸν () λόγον () ῥήσεις τε () σοφῶν () καὶ () αἰνίγματα. ()
[7] Ἀρχὴ () σοφίας () φόβος () θεοῦ, () σύνεσις () δὲ () ἀγαθὴ () πᾶσι () τοῖς () ποιοῦσιν () αὐτήν· () εὐσέβεια () δὲ () εἰς () θεὸν () ἀρχὴ () αἰσθήσεως, () σοφίαν () δὲ () καὶ () παιδείαν () ἀσεβεῖς () ἐξουθενήσουσιν. ()
[8] Ἄκουε, () υἱέ, () παιδείαν () πατρός () σου () καὶ () μὴ () ἀπώσῃ () θεσμοὺς μητρός () σου· ()
[9] στέφανον () γὰρ () χαρίτων () δέξῃ () σῇ () κορυφῇ καὶ () κλοιὸν χρύσεον () περὶ () σῷ () τραχήλῳ. ()
[10] Υἱέ, () μή () σε () πλανήσωσιν () ἄνδρες () ἀσεβεῖς, () μηδὲ () βουληθῇς, () ἐὰν () παρακαλέσωσί () σε () λέγοντες ()
[11] Ἐλθὲ () μεθ’ () ἡμῶν, () κοινώνησον () αἵματος, () κρύψωμεν () δὲ () εἰς () γῆν () ἄνδρα () δίκαιον () ἀδίκως, ()
[12] καταπίωμεν () δὲ () αὐτὸν () ὥσπερ () ᾅδης () ζῶντα () καὶ () ἄρωμεν () αὐτοῦ () τὴν () μνήμην () ἐκ () γῆς· ()
[13] τὴν () κτῆσιν αὐτοῦ () τὴν () πολυτελῆ () καταλαβώμεθα, () πλήσωμεν () δὲ () οἴκους () ἡμετέρους () σκύλων· ()
[14] τὸν () δὲ () σὸν () κλῆρον () βάλε () ἐν () ἡμῖν, () κοινὸν () δὲ () βαλλάντιον () κτησώμεθα () πάντες, () καὶ () μαρσίππιον ἓν () γενηθήτω () ἡμῖν. ()
[15] Μὴ () πορευθῇς () ἐν () ὁδῷ () μετ’ () αὐτῶν, () ἔκκλινον () δὲ () τὸν () πόδα () σου () ἐκ () τῶν () τρίβων () αὐτῶν· ()
[16] οἱ () γὰρ () πόδες () αὐτῶν () εἰς () κακίαν () τρέχουσιν () καὶ () ταχινοὶ () τοῦ () ἐκχέαι () αἷμα· ()
[17] οὐ () γὰρ () ἀδίκως () ἐκτείνεται () δίκτυα () πτερωτοῖς.
[18] Αὐτοὶ () γὰρ () οἱ () φόνου () μετέχοντες () θησαυρίζουσιν () ἑαυτοῖς () κακά, () ἡ () δὲ () καταστροφὴ () ἀνδρῶν () παρανόμων κακή. ()
[19] Αὗται () αἱ () ὁδοί () εἰσιν () πάντων () τῶν () συντελούντων () τὰ () ἄνομα· () τῇ () γὰρ () ἀσεβείᾳ () τὴν () ἑαυτῶν () ψυχὴν () ἀφαιροῦνται. ()
[20] Σοφία () ἐν () ἐξόδοις () ὑμνεῖται, () ἐν () δὲ () πλατείαις () παρρησίαν () ἄγει, ()
[21] ἐπ’ () ἄκρων () δὲ () τειχέων () κηρύσσεται, () ἐπὶ () δὲ () πύλαις () δυναστῶν () παρεδρεύει, ἐπὶ () δὲ () πύλαις () πόλεως () θαρροῦσα () λέγει ()
[22] Ὅσον () ἂν () χρόνον () ἄκακοι () ἔχωνται () τῆς () δικαιοσύνης, () οὐκ () αἰσχυνθήσονται· () οἱ () δὲ () ἄφρονες, () τῆς () ὕβρεως () ὄντες () ἐπιθυμηταί, () ἀσεβεῖς () γενόμενοι () ἐμίσησαν () αἴσθησιν ()
[23] καὶ () ὑπεύθυνοι ἐγένοντο () ἐλέγχοις. () Ἰδοὺ () προήσομαι ὑμῖν () ἐμῆς () πνοῆς () ῥῆσιν, διδάξω () δὲ () ὑμᾶς () τὸν () ἐμὸν () λόγον. ()
[24] Ἐπειδὴ () ἐκάλουν () καὶ () οὐχ () ὑπηκούσατε () καὶ () ἐξέτεινον () λόγους () καὶ () οὐ () προσείχετε, ()
[25] ἀλλὰ () ἀκύρους ἐποιεῖτε () ἐμὰς () βουλάς, () τοῖς () δὲ () ἐμοῖς () ἐλέγχοις () ἠπειθήσατε, ()
[26] τοιγαροῦν () κἀγὼ () τῇ () ὑμετέρᾳ () ἀπωλείᾳ () ἐπιγελάσομαι, καταχαροῦμαι δέ, () ἡνίκα () ἂν () ἔρχηται () ὑμῖν () ὄλεθρος, ()
[27] καὶ () ὡς () ἂν () ἀφίκηται () ὑμῖν () ἄφνω () θόρυβος, () ἡ () δὲ () καταστροφὴ () ὁμοίως () καταιγίδι παρῇ, () καὶ () ὅταν () ἔρχηται () ὑμῖν () θλῖψις () καὶ () πολιορκία, ἢ () ὅταν () ἔρχηται () ὑμῖν () ὄλεθρος. ()
[28] Ἔσται () γὰρ () ὅταν () ἐπικαλέσησθέ () με, () ἐγὼ () δὲ () οὐκ () εἰσακούσομαι () ὑμῶν· () ζητήσουσίν () με () κακοὶ () καὶ () οὐχ () εὑρήσουσιν. ()
[29] Ἐμίσησαν () γὰρ () σοφίαν, () τὸν () δὲ () φόβον () τοῦ () κυρίου () οὐ () προείλαντο ()
[30] οὐδὲ () ἤθελον () ἐμαῖς () προσέχειν () βουλαῖς, () ἐμυκτήριζον () δὲ () ἐμοὺς () ἐλέγχους. ()
[31] Τοιγαροῦν () ἔδονται τῆς () ἑαυτῶν () ὁδοῦ () τοὺς () καρποὺς () καὶ () τῆς () ἑαυτῶν () ἀσεβείας () πλησθήσονται· ()
[32] ἀνθ’ () ὧν () γὰρ () ἠδίκουν () νηπίους, () φονευθήσονται, () καὶ () ἐξετασμὸς ἀσεβεῖς () ὀλεῖ.
[33] Ὁ () δὲ () ἐμοῦ () ἀκούων () κατασκηνώσει () ἐπ’ () ἐλπίδι () καὶ () ἡσυχάσει () ἀφόβως () ἀπὸ () παντὸς () κακοῦ. ()

Old Testament scripture quotations and versification from Septuaginta, edited by Alfred Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935). New Testament quotations are from the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, LLC, Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Both are in the public domain.