Hey, listen! This is really important!
That really wise man? He’s talking, and you should listen.
After all, he is the king of Israel.
To really hold wisdom and obey it in your life, be fair and follow the simple way.
Live out your youth wiser and with self-control.
There is no limit to this.
The wise keep on gaining wisdom and will guide others toward wisdom with advice and puzzling questions.
Fools hate for anyone to tell them what to do.
If you want this knowledge that they hate, start by fearing the Lord.
Listen to your parents and value their guidance, and grace and beauty will adorn your life.
If someone entices you to sin with them, say, ‘No.’
If they make sin look appealing by the offer of earthly rewards, stay away.
Those who see a trap don’t walk into it, but fools trap themselves.
Those who force their own way will not thrive, but will find their lives empty.
Wisdom speaks where she will be most heard:
How long, sinners, will you reject wisdom and love doing evil things?
If you listen to me and reject foolishness, I will reveal myself to you and enable you to love good things.
Because I reached out for you and you pushed me away, I will taunt you in your trials.
When fools finally decide they want me, it will be too late.
Because they shunned me, because they ignored my rebuke,
they will enjoy the path they have laid out for themselves.
Those who turn away are denied true life, and the fool will let his pride rob him of that same gift,
but there’s no need to worry about that if you listen to me.
If you listen, you will be given peace instead.
My son, listen to my instructions, learn to love learning, work to find wisdom, and you will understand who God is.
God will give you everything you need to hear the truth and apply it to your life.
As long as you seek after righteousness, God will always be ready to protect and defend you and guide your life.
Then you will have wisdom, and you will love it.
And this wisdom will keep you from all evil.
So you will be set free from the way that disregards my will.
None who embrace this path return to me.
Seek the way of the good and the righteous.
Those who persevere in righteousness and seek wisdom will be rewarded,
and the wicked and the foolish will have severe negative consequences.
During an 8-week study of Proverbs 1 & 2, fourteen women each chose one complete sentence from the passage
and summarized it in their own words. The above unedited compilation is the result.
Read with a copy of Proverbs in hand and see how they did!
[image credit: unsplash.com]
Journey of the Word 