The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 22: Proverbs

THE BOOK OF PROVERBS

This Book is so called, because it consists of wise and weighty
sentences: regulating the morals of men: and directing them to wisdom
and virtue. And these sentences are also called PARABLES, because great
truths are often couched in them under certain figures and similitudes.

Proverbs Chapter 1

The use and end of the proverbs. An exhortation to flee the company of
the wicked: and to hearken to the voice of wisdom.

1:1. The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel,

1:2. To know wisdom, and instruction:

1:3. To understand the words of prudence: and to receive the instruction
of doctrine, justice, and judgment, and equity:

1:4. To give subtilty to little ones, to the young man knowledge and
understanding.

1:5. A wise man shall hear, and shall be wiser: and he that
understandeth shall possess governments.

1:6. He shall understand a parable and the interpretation, the words of
the wise, and their mysterious sayings.

1:7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fools despise
wisdom and instruction.

1:8. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law
of thy mother:

1:9. That grace may be added to thy head, and a chain of gold to thy
neck.

1:10. My son, if sinners shall entice thee, consent not to them.

1:11. If they shall say: Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let
us hide snares for the innocent without cause:

1:12. Let us swallow him up alive like hell, and whole as one that goeth
down into the pit.

1:13. We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses
with spoils.

1:14. Cast in thy lot with us, let us all have one purse.

1:15. My son, walk not thou with them, restrain thy foot from their
paths.

1:16. For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

1:17. But a net is spread in vain before the eyes of them that have
wings.

1:18. And they themselves lie in wait for their own blood, and practise
deceits against their own souls.

1:19. So the ways of every covetous man destroy the souls of the
possessors.

1:20. Wisdom preacheth abroad, she uttereth her voice in the streets:

1:21. At the head of multitudes she crieth out, in the entrance of the
gates of the city she uttereth her words, saying:

1:22. O children, how long will you love childishness, and fools covet
those things which are hurtful to themselves, and the unwise hate
knowledge?

1:23. Turn ye at my reproof: behold I will utter my spirit to you, and
will shew you my words.

1:24. Because I called, and you refused: I stretched out my hand, and
there was none that regarded.

1:25. You have despised all my counsel, and have neglected my
reprehensions.

1:26. I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that
shall come to you which you feared.

1:27. When sudden calamity shall fall on you, and destruction, as a
tempest, shall be at hand: when tribulation and distress shall come upon
you:

1:28. Then shall they call upon me, and I will not hear: they shall rise
in the morning, and shall not find me:

1:29. Because they have hated instruction, and received not the fear of
the Lord,

1:30. Nor consented to my counsel, but despised all my reproof.

1:31. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and shall be
filled with their own devices.

1:32. The turning away of little ones shall kill them, and the
prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

1:33. But he that shall hear me, shall rest without terror, and shall
enjoy abundance, without fear of evils.