Focused Passage

Proverbs 1:8-19

The Beginning of Wisdom: Instruction, Fear of the LORD, and the Refusal of Folly

The chapter moves from purpose, to parental instruction, to public wisdom appeal, showing that wisdom confronts the learner privately, socially, and publicly.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

8Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.

9For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.

10My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.

11If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,

12let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit.

13We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.

14Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—

15my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.

16For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.

17How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!

18But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.

19Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 8

Original words

Listenשְׁמַ֣עH8085Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularmy sonבְּ֭נִיH1121Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularto your father’sאָבִ֑יךָH1Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularinstructionמוּסַ֣רH4148Noun - masculine singular constructand do not forsakeתִּ֝טֹּ֗שׁH5203Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular. . .וְאַל־H408Conjunctive waw | Adverbthe teachingתּוֹרַ֥תH8451Noun - feminine singular constructof your motherאִמֶּֽךָ׃H517Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 9

Original words

Forכִּ֤י׀H3588Conjunctiontheyהֵ֬םH1992Pronoun - third person masculine plural[are] a garlandלִוְיַ֤תH3880Noun - feminine singular constructof graceחֵ֓ןH2580Noun - masculine singularon your headלְרֹאשֶׁ֑ךָH7218Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularand a pendantוַ֝עֲנָקִ֗יםH6060Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine pluralaround your neckלְגַרְגְּרֹתֶֽיךָ׃H1621Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

My sonבְּנִ֡יH1121Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularifאִם־H518Conjunctionsinnersחַ֝טָּאִ֗יםH2400Adjective - masculine pluralentice youיְפַתּ֥וּךָH6601Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | second person masculine singulardo notאַל־H408Adverbyield [to them]תֹּבֵֽא׃H14Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

Ifאִם־H518Conjunctionthey sayיֹאמְרוּ֮H559Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralComeלְכָ֪הH1980Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singularalongאִ֫תָּ֥נוּH854Preposition | first person common plurallet us lie in waitנֶאֶרְבָ֥הH693Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common pluralfor bloodלְדָ֑םH1818Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularlet us ambushנִצְפְּנָ֖הH6845Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common pluralthe innocentלְנָקִ֣יH5355Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine singularwithout causeחִנָּֽם׃H2600Adverb
Verse 12

Original words

let us swallow themנִ֭בְלָעֵםH1104Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural | third person masculine pluralaliveחַיִּ֑יםH2416Noun - masculine plurallike Sheolכִּשְׁא֣וֹלH7585Preposition-k | Noun - common singularand wholeוּ֝תְמִימִ֗יםH8549Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine plurallike those descendingכְּי֣וֹרְדֵיH3381Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructinto the Pitבֽוֹר׃H953Noun - masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

We {will} findנִמְצָ֑אH4672Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common pluralall mannerכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructof preciousיָקָ֣רH3368Adjective - masculine singulargoodsה֣וֹןH1952Noun - masculine singularwe {will} fillנְמַלֵּ֖אH4390Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common pluralour housesבָתֵּ֣ינוּH1004Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralwith plunderשָׁלָֽל׃H7998Noun - masculine singular
Verse 14

Original words

Throw inתַּפִּ֣ילH5307Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour lotגּ֭וֹרָ֣לְךָH1486Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularwith usבְּתוֹכֵ֑נוּH8432Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plurallet us allלְכֻלָּֽנוּ׃H3605Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common pluralshareיִהְיֶ֥הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularoneאֶ֝חָ֗דH259Number - masculine singularpurseכִּ֥יסH3599Noun - masculine singular
Verse 15

Original words

my sonבְּנִ֗יH1121Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singulardo notאַל־H408Adverbwalkתֵּלֵ֣ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularthe roadבְּדֶ֣רֶךְH1870Preposition-b | Noun - common singularwith themאִתָּ֑םH854Preposition | third person masculine pluralor setמְנַ֥עH4513Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularfootרַ֝גְלְךָ֗H7272Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularupon their pathמִנְּתִיבָתָֽם׃H5410Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 16

Original words

Forכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctiontheir feetרַ֭גְלֵיהֶםH7272Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine pluralrunיָר֑וּצוּH7323Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralto evilלָרַ֣עH7451Preposition-l, Article | Adjective - masculine singularand they are swiftוִֽ֝ימַהֲר֗וּH4116Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine pluralto shedלִשְׁפָּךְ־H8210Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructbloodדָּֽם׃H1818Noun - masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

Howכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionfutile [it is]חִ֭נָּםH2600Adverbto spreadמְזֹרָ֣הH2219Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singularthe netהָרָ֑שֶׁתH7568Article | Noun - feminine singularwhere anyכָל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructbirdבַּ֥עַלH1167Noun - masculine singular construct. . .כָּנָֽף׃H3671Noun - feminine singularcan see itבְּ֝עֵינֵ֗יH5869Preposition-b | Noun - cdc
Verse 18

Original words

But theyוְ֭הֵםH1992Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine plurallie in waitיֶאֱרֹ֑בוּH693Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralfor their [own] bloodלְדָמָ֣םH1818Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralthey ambushיִ֝צְפְּנ֗וּH6845Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluraltheir [own] livesלְנַפְשֹׁתָֽם׃H5315Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 19

Original words

Such [is]כֵּ֗ןH3651Adverbthe fateאָ֭רְחוֹתH734Noun - common plural constructof allכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructwho are greedyבֹּ֣צֵֽעַH1214Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularwhose unjust gainבָּ֑צַעH1215Noun - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markertakesיִקָּֽח׃פH3947Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe livesנֶ֖פֶשׁH5315Noun - feminine singular constructof its possessorsבְּעָלָ֣יוH1167Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.