Proverbs Chapter 1 gives an introduction to the rest of the book along with some basic sayings for readers to keep in mind. Most of the proverbs throughout the book were written by Solomon who was the son of David, the king of Israel.

The Reason for Proverbs

In Proverbs Chapter 1, Solomon said the reasons behind reading this book was for the purpose of increasing knowledge, wisdom, and guidance. The lessons found in these proverbs will help a person make better and more informed decisions in life.

However, some proverbs are not explicit in the instructions they offer. Rather, they are designed to be meditated upon in order for the riddles to eventually reveal themselves to the person studying them. In Proverbs Chapter 1, the author stressed that fear of God was the beginning of knowledge and only those who were total fools would dislike the path of knowledge and wisdom.

Avoiding Sin and Temptation

The first chapter of Proverbs clearly states that one must avoid the temptations put forth by sinful men. They will try to entice the weak and it is critical to never give into their temptations regardless of how good the promises sound.

The goal of such men is to take those who are good and outright plunder them. They do this with the promise of delivering bounty to those that believe them. Proverbs Chapter 1 says to avoid these men and do not be fooled by their evil promises. They will eventually lead themselves to ruin.

Wisdom Comes Calling

Solomon stated in the opening chapter of Proverbs that wisdom will seek those who are willing to heed its teachings. The weak will surely mock what wisdom has to offer to them. Wisdom will rebuke those that deny trying to enhance their knowledge.

Wisdom will eventually mock those that refuse knowledge when such persons find themselves in serious trouble. When an ignorant person refuses wisdom and finds himself in trouble, Solomon explains, he will beg for wisdom, but wisdom will not be there to help.

Proverbs 1 (King James Version)

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

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

9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

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

17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

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

32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.