Proverbs , Sarah Barry
LISTEN TO GOD AND LIVE
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
Solomon fiercely rebukes us to repent our stubbornness and foolishness. He points out that we are pushing away God’s wisdom while childishly indulging ourselves with our pride. He warns us that this behavior brings calamities like a storm, one after another. Our lives without the fear of God will be conquered by constant stress and anxiety.
We must desire God’s knowledge and learn to reject our selfish thoughts. We must open our ears to listen to God’s voice and calling. Then God will bless us with his eternal safety and comfort.
Prayer: Father, thank you for giving us your wisdom. When I am tempted by dishonest gain, help me to listen to you and live a blessed life.
One Word: Listen to God and live