Proverbs 1

DOUAI-RHEIMS	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.	1 The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel,
2 To know wisdom, and instruction:	2 in order to know wisdom and discipline,
3 To understand the words of prudence: and to receive the instruction of doctrine, justice, and judgment, and equity:	3 to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity,
4 To give subtilty to little ones, to the young man knowledge and understanding.	4 so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents.
5 A wise man shall hear and shall be wiser: and he that understandeth, shall possess governments.	5 By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments.
6 He shall understand a parable, and the interpretation, the words of the wise, and their mysterious sayings.	6 He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fools despise wisdom and instruction.	7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother :	8 Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother,
9 That grace may be added to thy head, and a chain of gold to thy neck.	9 so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck.
10 My son, if sinners shall entice thee, consent not to them.	10 My son, if sinners should entice you, do not consent to them.
11 If they shall say: Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide snares for the innocent without cause:	11 If they should say: “Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause.
12 Let us swallow him up alive like hell, and whole as one that goeth down into the pit.	12 Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit.
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoils.	13 We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils.
14 Cast in thy lot with us, let us all have one purse.	14 Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all.”
15 My son, walk not thou with them, restrain thy foot from their paths.	15 My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths.
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.	16 For their feet rush to evil, and they hurry to shed blood.
17 But a net is spread in vain before the eyes of them that have wings.	17 But a net is thrown in vain before the eyes of those who have wings.
18 And they themselves lie in wait for their own blood, and practise deceits against their own souls.	18 Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls.
19 So the wage of every covetous man destroy the souls of the possessors.	19 Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess.
20 Wisdom preacheth abroad, she uttereth her voice in the streets:	20 Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets.
21 At the head of multitudes she crieth out, in the entrance of the gates of the city she uttereth her words, saying:	21 She cries out at the head of crowds; at the entrance of the gates of the city, she offers her words, saying:
22 O children, how long will you love childishness, and fools covet those things which are hurtful to themselves, and the unwise hate knowledge?	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?
23 Turn ye at my reproof: behold I will utter my spirit to you, and will shew you my words.	23 Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you.
24 Because I called, and you refused: I stretched out my hand, and there was none that regarded.	24 For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched.
25 You have despised all my counsel, and have neglected my reprehensions.	25 You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes.
26 I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that shall come to you which you feared.	26 Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome you.
27 When sudden calamity shall fall on you, and destruction, as a tempest, shall be at hand: when tribulation and distress shall come upon you:	27 When sudden calamity rushes upon you, and your demise advances like a tempest, when tribulation and anguish overcome you,
28 Then shall they call upon me, and I will not hear: they shall rise in the morning and shall not find me:	28 then they will call to me, and I will not heed, they will arise in the morning, and not find me.
29 Because they have hated instruction and received not the fear of the Lord,	29 For they held hatred for discipline, and they would not accept the fear of the Lord;
30 Nor consented to my counsel, but despised all my reproof.	30 they would not consent to my counsel, but they detracted from all of my corrections.
31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and shall be filled with their own devices.	31 Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels.
32 The turning away of little ones shall kill them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.	32 The loathing of the little ones shall destroy them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall perish them.
33 But he that shall hear me, shall rest without terror, and shall enjoy abundance, without fear of evils.	33 But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils.”