Hypertext Bible

Jewish Publication Society Bible: Proverbs: Proverbs Chapter 1

Book of ChroniclesHebrew Bible TranslationJewish Publication Society Bible

Summary only - full text stays on its own separately-gated source. Read the full text at the source »

This is the opening chapter of the biblical Book of Proverbs, a work of ancient Hebrew wisdom literature attributed to King Solomon. The text states its purpose directly: to impart wisdom, discipline, justice, and discernment to readers at all levels, from the naive young person to the already-wise. A core theological claim is introduced early — that reverence for God is the foundation of all genuine knowledge, with those who reject this framework dismissed as fools. The chapter then dramatizes wisdom as a public figure, a woman crying out in city streets and marketplaces, warning that those who ignore her teaching will face disaster without recourse when catastrophe arrives. A distinctive feature is Wisdom's harsh, almost taunting voice: she promises to laugh at the calamity of those who spurned her and declares she will not answer when they finally call. The chapter's central moral is that rejecting wise counsel is self-destructive — greedy and violent people ultimately destroy themselves — while those who heed wisdom live in security.

Jewish Publication Society Bible: Proverbs: Proverbs Chapter 1

Related pages View as graph →