---
title: "Proverbs 1 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/proverbs/1/
description: "The use and end of the proverbs. An exhortation to flee the company of the… Proverbs 1 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1 is chapter 1 of 31 in the Book of Proverbs. Here are all 33 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> The use and end of the proverbs. An exhortation to flee the company of the wicked: and to hearken to the voice of wisdom.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Proverbs 1 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel,
2. in order to know wisdom and discipline,
3. to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity,
4. so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents.
5. By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments.
6. He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas.
7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine.
8. Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother,
9. so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck.
10. My son, if sinners should entice you, do not consent to them.
11. If they should say: “Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause.
12. Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit.
13. We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils.
14. Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all.”
15. My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths.
16. For their feet rush to evil, and they hurry to shed blood.
17. But a net is thrown in vain before the eyes of those who have wings.
18. Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls.
19. Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess.
20. Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets.
21. She cries out at the head of crowds; at the entrance of the gates of the city, she offers her words, saying:
22. “Little ones, how long will you choose to be childish, and how long will the foolish desire what is harmful to themselves, and how long will the imprudent hate knowledge?
23. Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you.
24. For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched.
25. You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes.
26. Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome you.
27. When sudden calamity rushes upon you, and your demise advances like a tempest, when tribulation and anguish overcome you,
28. then they will call to me, and I will not heed, they will arise in the morning, and not find me.
29. For they held hatred for discipline, and they would not accept the fear of the Lord;
30. they would not consent to my counsel, but they detracted from all of my corrections.
31. Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels.
32. The loathing of the little ones shall destroy them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall perish them.
33. But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils.”

## Proverbs 1 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Parabolæ Salomonis, filii David, regis Israël,
2. ad sciendam sapientiam et disciplinam;
3. ad intelligenda verba prudentiæ, et suscipiendam eruditionem doctrinæ, justitiam, et judicium, et æquitatem:
4. ut detur parvulis astutia, adolescenti scientia et intellectus.
5. Audiens sapiens, sapientior erit, et intelligens gubernacula possidebit.
6. Animadvertet parabolam et interpretationem, verba sapientum et ænigmata eorum.
7. Timor Domini principium sapientiæ; sapientiam atque doctrinam stulti despiciunt.
8. Audi, fili mi, disciplinam patris tui, et ne dimittas legem matris tuæ:
9. ut addatur gratia capiti tuo, et torques collo tuo.
10. Fili mi, si te lactaverint peccatores, ne acquiescas eis.
11. Si dixerint: Veni nobiscum, insidiemur sanguini; abscondamus tendiculas contra insontem frustra;
12. deglutiamus eum sicut infernus viventem, et integrum quasi descendentem in lacum;
13. omnem pretiosam substantiam reperiemus; implebimus domos nostras spoliis:
14. sortem mitte nobiscum, marsupium unum sit omnium nostrum:
15. fili mi, ne ambules cum eis; prohibe pedem tuum a semitis eorum:
16. pedes enim illorum ad malum currunt, et festinant ut effundant sanguinem.
17. Frustra autem jacitur rete ante oculos pennatorum.
18. Ipsi quoque contra sanguinem suum insidiantur, et moliuntur fraudes contra animas suas.
19. Sic semitæ omnis avari: animas possidentium rapiunt.
20. Sapientia foris prædicat; in plateis dat vocem suam:
21. in capite turbarum clamitat; in foribus portarum urbis profert verba sua, dicens:
22. Usquequo, parvuli, diligitis infantiam, et stulti ea quæ sibi sunt noxia cupient, et imprudentes odibunt scientiam?
23. convertimini ad correptionem meam. En proferam vobis spiritum meum, et ostendam vobis verba mea.
24. Quia vocavi, et renuistis; extendi manum meam, et non fuit qui aspiceret:
25. despexistis omne consilium meum, et increpationes meas neglexistis.
26. Ego quoque in interitu vestro ridebo, et subsannabo cum vobis id quod timebatis advenerit.
27. Cum irruerit repentina calamitas, et interitus quasi tempestas ingruerit; quando venerit super vos tribulatio et angustia:
28. tunc invocabunt me, et non exaudiam; mane consurgent, et non invenient me:
29. eo quod exosam habuerint disciplinam, et timorem Domini non susceperint,
30. nec acquieverint consilio meo, et detraxerint universæ correptioni meæ.
31. Comedent igitur fructus viæ suæ, suisque consiliis saturabuntur.
32. Aversio parvulorum interficiet eos, et prosperitas stultorum perdet illos.
33. Qui autem me audierit, absque terrore requiescet, et abundantia perfruetur, timore malorum sublato.

## Catechism of the Catholic Church

Paragraph numbers and the Catechism's own section headings (never quoted); text at vatican.va.
- cf. CCC ¶ 2214: The Duties of Family Members ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).