NKJV Bible in 365 Days

162/366

The Beginning of Wisdom and Its Warnings — June 10

Proverbs 1-3

Proverbs 1

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 365N 161.1

2 To know wisdom and instruction, To [a] perceive the words of understanding, 365N 161.2

3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; 365N 161.3

4 To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— 365N 161.4

5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will [b] attain wise counsel, 365N 161.5

6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. 365N 161.6

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. 365N 161.7

8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; 365N 161.8

9 For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck. 365N 161.9

10 My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. 365N 161.10

11 If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; 365N 161.11

12 Let us swallow them alive like [c] Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit; 365N 161.12

13 We shall find all kinds of precious [d] possessions, We shall fill our houses with [e] spoil; 365N 161.13

14 Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse”— 365N 161.14

15 My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path; 365N 161.15

16 For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood. 365N 161.16

17 Surely, in [f] vain the net is spread In the sight of any [g] bird; 365N 161.17

18 But they lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk secretly for their own lives. 365N 161.18

19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners. 365N 161.19

20 Wisdom calls aloud [h] outside; She raises her voice in the open squares. 365N 161.20

21 She cries out in the [i] chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: 365N 161.21

22 “How long, you [j] simple ones, will you love [k] simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge. 365N 161.22

23 Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. 365N 161.23

24 Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, 365N 161.24

25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, 365N 161.25

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, 365N 161.26

27 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. 365N 161.27

28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. 365N 161.28

29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord , 365N 161.29

30 They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. 365N 161.30

31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies. 365N 161.31

32 For the [l] turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them; 365N 161.32

33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be [m] secure, without fear of evil.” 365N 161.33

Proverbs 2

1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, 365N 161.34

2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 365N 161.35

3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 365N 161.36

4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 365N 161.37

5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord , And find the knowledge of God. 365N 161.38

6 For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; 365N 161.39

7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; 365N 161.40

8 He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints. 365N 161.41

9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path. 365N 161.42

10 When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, 365N 161.43

11 Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, 365N 161.44

12 To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things, 365N 161.45

13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness; 365N 161.46

14 Who rejoice in doing evil, And delight in the perversity of the wicked; 365N 161.47

15 Whose ways are crooked, And who are devious in their paths; 365N 161.48

16 To deliver you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words, 365N 161.49

17 Who forsakes the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God. 365N 161.50

18 For her house [a] leads down to death, And her paths to the dead; 365N 161.51

19 None who go to her return, Nor do they [b] regain the paths of life— 365N 161.52

20 So you may walk in the way of goodness, And keep to the paths of righteousness. 365N 161.53

21 For the upright will dwell in the land, And the blameless will remain in it; 365N 161.54

22 But the wicked will be [c] cut off from the [d] earth, And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it. 365N 161.55

Proverbs 3

1 My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; 365N 161.56

2 For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you. 365N 161.57

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, 365N 161.58

4 And so find favor and [a] high esteem In the sight of God and man. 365N 161.59

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 365N 161.60

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall [b] direct your paths. 365N 161.61

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 365N 161.62

8 It will be health to your [c] flesh, And strength [d] to your bones. 365N 161.63

9 Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 365N 161.64

10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. 365N 161.65

11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord , Nor detest His correction; 365N 161.66

12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights. 365N 161.67

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; 365N 161.68

14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. 365N 161.69

15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. 365N 161.70

16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor. 365N 161.71

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace. 365N 161.72

18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who [e] retain her. 365N 161.73

19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens; 365N 161.74

20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And clouds drop down the dew. 365N 161.75

21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes— Keep sound wisdom and discretion; 365N 161.76

22 So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck. 365N 161.77

23 Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble. 365N 161.78

24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. 365N 161.79

25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; 365N 161.80

26 For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught. 365N 161.81

27 Do not withhold good from [f] those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. 365N 161.82

28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it, ” When you have it with you. 365N 161.83

29 Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety’s sake. 365N 161.84

30 Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm. 365N 161.85

31 Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; 365N 161.86

32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord , But His secret counsel is with the upright. 365N 161.87

33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just. 365N 161.88

34 Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble. 365N 161.89

35 The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools. 365N 161.90