Proverbs , Sarah Barry
WHOEVER LISTENS TO ME WILL LIVE IN SAFETY
Passage: Proverbs 1:8~33  
Key verse: 33
Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom
Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men8 Listen, my son,(A) to your father’s(B) instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(C)
9 They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.(D)
10 My son, if sinful men entice(E) you,
do not give in(F) to them.(G)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait(H) for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12 let’s swallow(I) them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;(J)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14 cast lots with us;
we will all share the loot(K)”—
15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot(L) on their paths;(M)
16 for their feet rush into evil,(N)
they are swift to shed blood.(O)
17 How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18 These men lie in wait(P) for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!(Q)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.(R)
Wisdom’s Rebuke20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(S)
she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[a] she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you who are simple(T) love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate(U) knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse(V) to listen when I call(W)
and no one pays attention(X) when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh(Y) when disaster(Z) strikes you;
I will mock(AA) when calamity overtakes you(AB)—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster(AC) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(AD)
they will look for me but will not find me,(AE)
29 since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.(AF)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,(AG)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(AH)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(AI)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(AJ)
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(AK)
8 Listen, my son,(A) to your father’s(B) instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.(C)
9 They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.(D)
10 My son, if sinful men entice(E) you,
do not give in(F) to them.(G)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait(H) for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12 let’s swallow(I) them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;(J)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14 cast lots with us;
we will all share the loot(K)”—
15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot(L) on their paths;(M)
16 for their feet rush into evil,(N)
they are swift to shed blood.(O)
17 How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18 These men lie in wait(P) for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!(Q)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.(R)
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,(S)
she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall[a] she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you who are simple(T) love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate(U) knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse(V) to listen when I call(W)
and no one pays attention(X) when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh(Y) when disaster(Z) strikes you;
I will mock(AA) when calamity overtakes you(AB)—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster(AC) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;(AD)
they will look for me but will not find me,(AE)
29 since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.(AF)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,(AG)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.(AH)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;(AI)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety(AJ)
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”(AK)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners
Cross references
- Proverbs 1:8 : ver 8-9; Pr 2:1; 3:1; 4:1; 5:1; 6:1; 7:1; 19:27; 22:17; 23:26-28
- Proverbs 1:8 : Jer 35:8
- Proverbs 1:8 : S Dt 21:18; Pr 6:20
- Proverbs 1:9 : Pr 3:21-22; 4:1-9
- Proverbs 1:10 : S Job 24:15
- Proverbs 1:10 : Dt 13:8
- Proverbs 1:10 : ver 15; Ps 1:1; Pr 16:29
- Proverbs 1:11 : S Ps 10:8
- Proverbs 1:12 : S Ps 35:25
- Proverbs 1:12 : ver 16-18; S Job 33:18; S Ps 30:3
- Proverbs 1:14 : ver 19
- Proverbs 1:15 : S Ps 119:101
- Proverbs 1:15 : S Ge 49:6; Pr 4:14
- Proverbs 1:16 : S Job 15:31
- Proverbs 1:16 : Pr 6:18; Isa 59:7
- Proverbs 1:18 : S Ps 71:10
- Proverbs 1:18 : S ver 11-12
- Proverbs 1:19 : S ver 13-14; Pr 4:14-17; 11:19
- Proverbs 1:20 : S Job 28:12; Pr 7:10-13; 9:1-3, 13-15
- Proverbs 1:22 : Pr 6:32; 7:7; 8:5; 9:4, 16
- Proverbs 1:22 : Ps 50:17
- Proverbs 1:24 : Jer 26:5; 35:17; 36:31
- Proverbs 1:24 : Isa 65:12; 66:4; Jer 7:13
- Proverbs 1:24 : S 1Sa 8:19
- Proverbs 1:26 : S Ps 2:4
- Proverbs 1:26 : ver 33; S Ps 59:8
- Proverbs 1:26 : S 2Ki 19:21
- Proverbs 1:26 : Dt 28:63
- Proverbs 1:27 : S Ps 18:18; Pr 5:12-14
- Proverbs 1:28 : S Dt 1:45; S 1Sa 8:18; S Jer 11:11
- Proverbs 1:28 : S Job 27:9; Pr 8:17; Eze 8:18; Hos 5:6; Zec 7:13
- Proverbs 1:29 : S Job 21:14
- Proverbs 1:30 : ver 25
- Proverbs 1:31 : S 2Ch 36:16; Pr 14:14; Jer 6:19; 14:16; 21:14; 30:15
- Proverbs 1:32 : Pr 5:22; 15:10; Isa 66:4
- Proverbs 1:33 : S Nu 24:21; S Dt 33:28; Pr 3:23
- Proverbs 1:33 : S ver 21-26; S Ps 112:8
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Listen to the godly parents (8-19)
Young men are vulnerable toward sinners' enticements, bad websites, as well as wicked friends. Bad peers would say, "Come along with us! Let's do this." "Just click it once." Their suggestions look charming, funny and promising. But Solomon warns not to go along with them and not to give in to them but listen to their godly parents, Father in heaven. He shows the final result of following the enticement: To rush into sin! Destroying oneself and inviting disasters!
2. Choose to fear the Lord (20-33)
Young men should pay attention to the calling of wisdom. Wisdom is personified, as the Word became flesh. Jesus, the origin of wisdom came and called aloud in the street, in public place now in radios, TVs and public websites. People hate the knowledge of God and do not choose to fear the Lord. They do not accept God's advice to repent and believe in the good news of Christ Jesus (his death for our sins and his resurrection to give us eternal life). They would rather die in their sins out of pride. But whoever listens to God will live in safety and be at ease without fear of harm.
Prayer: Lord, keep me from temptations. Let me listen to you and fear the Lord.
One Word: Fear the Lord