Proverbs

Proverbs 1:1–7

¹These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David,

king of Israel,

²for gaining wisdom and discipline,

for comprehending words of insight,

³and for receiving instruction in wise living

and in righteousness, justice, and equity.

⁴To impart prudence to the simple^a

and knowledge and discretion to the young,

⁵let the wise listen and gain instruction,

and the discerning acquire wise counsel

⁶by understanding the proverbs and parables,

the sayings and riddles of the wise.

⁷The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools^b despise wisdom and discipline.

Footnotes

a 1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs refers to one who is naive, without moral direction, or inclined to evil.
b 1:7 The Hebrew words rendered as fool in Proverbs denote one who is morally deficient.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
the proverbs	מִ֭שְׁלֵי	miš·lê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4912 proverb, parable
of Solomon	שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה	šə·lō·mōh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8010 Solomon
son	בֶן־	ḇen-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son
of David	דָּוִ֑ד	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
king	מֶ֝֗לֶךְ	me·leḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4428 king
of Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
for gaining	לָדַ֣עַת	lā·ḏa·‘aṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3045 know
wisdom	חָכְמָ֣ה	ḥāḵ·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
and discipline	וּמוּסָ֑ר	ū·mū·sār	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H4148 discipline
for comprehending	לְ֝הָבִ֗ין	lə·hā·ḇîn	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H995 discern
words	אִמְרֵ֥י	’im·rê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H561 something said
of insight	בִינָֽה׃	ḇî·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H998 understanding

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
for receiving	לָ֭קַחַת	lā·qa·ḥaṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3947 take
instruction	מוּסַ֣ר	mū·sar	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4148 discipline
in wise living	הַשְׂכֵּ֑ל	haś·kêl	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7919 be prudent
and in righteousness	צֶ֥דֶק	ṣe·ḏeq	Noun - masculine singular	H6664 rightness, righteousness
justice	וּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט	ū·miš·pāṭ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H4941 judgment
and equity	וּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃	ū·mê·šā·rîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H4339 evenness, uprightness, equity

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
To impart	לָתֵ֣ת	lā·ṯêṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5414 give, put, set
prudence	עָרְמָ֑ה	‘ā·rə·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H6195 craftiness, prudence
to the simple	לִפְתָאיִ֣ם	lip̄·ṯā·yim	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H6612 simple
knowledge	דַּ֣עַת	da·‘aṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H1847 knowledge
and discretion	וּמְזִמָּֽה׃	ū·mə·zim·māh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H4209 purpose, discretion, device
to the young	לְ֝נַ֗עַר	lə·na·‘ar	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5288 a shaking, scattering

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
the wise	חָ֭כָם	ḥā·ḵām	Adjective - masculine singular	H2450 wise
listen	יִשְׁמַ֣ע	yiš·ma‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
and gain	וְי֣וֹסֶף	wə·yō·w·sep̄	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H3254 add
instruction	לֶ֑קַח	le·qaḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H3948 learning, teaching
and the discerning	וְ֝נָב֗וֹן	wə·nā·ḇō·wn	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular	H995 discern
acquire	יִקְנֶֽה׃	yiq·neh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7069 get, acquire
wise counsel	תַּחְבֻּל֥וֹת	taḥ·bu·lō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H8458 direction, counsel

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
by understanding	לְהָבִ֣ין	lə·hā·ḇîn	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H995 discern
the proverbs	מָ֭שָׁל	mā·šāl	Noun - masculine singular	H4912 proverb, parable
and parables	וּמְלִיצָ֑ה	ū·mə·lî·ṣāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H4426 satire, mocking-poem
the sayings	דִּבְרֵ֥י	diḇ·rê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1697 speech, word
and riddles	וְחִידֹתָֽם׃	wə·ḥî·ḏō·ṯām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H2420 riddle, enigmatic, perplexing saying or question
of the wise	חֲ֝כָמִ֗ים	ḥă·ḵā·mîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2450 wise

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The fear	יִרְאַ֣ת	yir·’aṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H3374 fear
of the LORD	יְ֭הוָה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
the beginning	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	rê·šîṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H7225 beginning, chief
of knowledge	דָּ֑עַת	dā·‘aṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H1847 knowledge
fools	אֱוִילִ֥ים	’ĕ·wî·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H191 foolish
despise	בָּֽזוּ׃פ	bā·zū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H936 despise
wisdom	חָכְמָ֥ה	ḥāḵ·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
and discipline	וּ֝מוּסָ֗ר	ū·mū·sār	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H4148 discipline