The Holy See
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New American Bible

2002 11 11
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Chapter 1

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1 The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

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2 That men may appreciate wisdom and discipline, may understand words of intelligence;

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May receive training in wise conduct, in what is right, just and honest;

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3 That resourcefulness may be imparted to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

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A wise man by hearing them will advance in learning, an intelligent man will gain sound guidance,

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That he may comprehend proverb and parable, the words of the wise and their riddles.

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4 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; wisdom and instruction fools despise.

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5 Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and reject not your mother's teaching;

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A graceful diadem will they be for your head; a torque for your neck.

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My son, should sinners entice you,

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and say, "Come along with us! Let us lie in wait for the honest man, let us, unprovoked, set a trap for the innocent;

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Let us swallow them up, as the nether world does, alive, in the prime of life, like those who go down to the pit!

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All kinds of precious wealth shall we gain, we shall fill our houses with booty;

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Cast in your lot with us, we shall all have one purse!" - 

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My son, walk not in the way with them, hold back your foot from their path!

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(For their feet run to evil, they hasten to shed blood.)

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6 It is in vain that a net is spread before the eyes of any bird

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These men lie in wait for their own blood, they set a trap for their own lives.

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This is the fate of everyone greedy of loot: unlawful gain takes away the life of him who acquires it.

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7 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the open squares she raises her voice;

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Down the crowded ways she calls out, at the city gates she utters her words:

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"How long, you simple ones, will you love inanity,

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how long will you turn away at my reproof? Lo! I will pour out to you my spirit, I will acquaint you with my words.

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"Because I called and you refused, I extended my hand and no one took notice;

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Because you disdained all my counsel, and my reproof you ignored

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I, in my turn, will laugh at your doom; I will mock when terror overtakes you;

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When terror comes upon you like a storm, and your doom approaches like a whirlwind; when distress and anguish befall you.

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8 "Then they call me, but I answer not; they seek me, but find me not;

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Because they hated knowledge, and chose not the fear of the LORD;

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They ignored my counsel, they spurned all my reproof; And in their arrogance they preferred arrogance, and like fools they hated knowledge:

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9 "Now they must eat the fruit of their own way, and with their own devices be glutted.

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For the self-will of the simple kills them, the smugness of fools destroys them.

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But he who obeys me dwells in security, in peace, without fear of harm."

 

 




1 [1-6] This prologue explains the purpose of the book: to educate the inexperienced in knowledge and right conduct, and to increase the learning of the wise man by proverbs, parables and riddles.



2 [2] Discipline: education or formation which dispels ignorance and corrects vice.



3 [4] Simple: immature and inexperienced, hence easily influenced for good or evil.



4 [7] Fear of the LORD: reverential fear and respect for God on account of his sovereignty, goodness and justice toward men. This is the foundation of religion.



5 [8-19] A warning against association with the greedy and the violent who seek to destroy the honest man and to steal his possessions ( Proverb 1:11-14). The trap which the wicked set for the innocent ( Proverb 1:11), in the end ( Proverb 1:19) takes away the life of the wicked themselves.



6 [17] Instructed by the wise man, the youth (of Proverb 1:4) will recognize the invitation of the wicked ( Proverb 1:11-14) as a net spread before him, and he will thus, like the bird, be protected against falling into it.



7 [20-33] Wisdom is here personified; with divine authority she sets forth and proclaims the moral order, instructing and threatening ( Proverb 1:24-33) the multitudes in the streets and places of assembly.



8 [28] Overtaken by doom, the foolish seek wisdom, but in vain because they do so too late. Cf John 7:34; 8:21.



9 [31] Sinners are punished by the bad fruits which their sins produce. Cf Wisdom 11:16.






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