[1]The prouerbes of Solomon the sonne of Dauid, kyng of Israel
[2]To learne wisdome and instruction, & to perceaue the wordes of vnderstandyng
[3]To receaue the instruction of wisdome, iustice, iudgement, and equitie
[4]To geue wyt vnto the simple, and that the young men myght haue knowledge and vnderstandyng
[5]The wise man wyll geue eare, and wyll come by more wisdome, and he that is endued with vnderstanding shal attayne vnto [wise] counsayles
[6]To vnderstande a parable, and the interpretation therof, the wordes of the wise, and their darke speaches
[7]The feare of the Lorde is the begynnyng of knowledge: but fooles dispise wisdome and instruction
[8]My sonne, heare thy fathers doctrine, & forsake not the lawe of thy mother
[9]For they shalbe an encrease of grace vnto thy head, and [as] a chayne about thy necke
[10]My sonne, if sinners entice thee, consent not vnto them
[11]If they say, come with vs, let vs lay wayte for blood, and lurke priuily for the innocent without a cause
[12]Let vs swallowe them vp lyke the graue quicke and whole, as those that go downe into the pit
[13]So shall we finde all maner of costly riches, and fill our houses with spoyles
[14]Cast in thy lot among vs, and let vs all haue one purse
[15]My sonne, walke not thou with them, refrayne thy foote from their wayes
[16]For their feete runne to euyll, and are hasty to shed blood
[17]But [as] in vayne, the nette is layde foorth before the birdes eyes
[18]So these lay wayte for the blood of them, and lye priuily for their liues
[19]Such [are] the wayes of euery one that is greedie of gayne, who taketh away the life of the owner therof
[20]Wisdome cryeth without, and putteth foorth her voyce in the streetes
[21]She calleth before the congregation in the open gates, and sheweth her wordes through the citie, saying
[22]O ye children, howe long wyll ye loue childishnesse? howe long wyll the scorners delite in scornyng, and the vnwise hate knowledge
[23]O turne you at my correction: lo I wyll expresse my mynde vnto you, and make you vnderstande my wordes
[24]Because I haue called, and ye refused, I haue stretched out my hande, and no man regarded
[25]But all my counsels haue ye dispised, and set my correction at naught
[26]Therfore wyll I also laugh at your destruction, and mocke you, when the thyng that ye feare commeth vpon you
[27]Euen when the thyng that ye be afraide of falleth in sodenly like a storme, and your miserie lyke a tempest, yea when trouble and heauinesse commeth vpon you
[28]Then shall they call vpon me, but I wyll not aunswere: they shall seeke me early, but they shall not finde me
[29]And that because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the feare of the Lorde
[30]They woulde none of my counsayle, but dispised all my correction
[31]Therfore shall they eate of the fruite of their owne way, and be fylled with their owne inuentions
[32]For the turnyng away of the vnwise shall slay them, and the prosperitie of fooles shall destroy them
[33]But whoso hearkeneth vnto me, shal dwell safely, and be sure from any feare of euyll
|