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[1]parables of Solomon the son of David king of Israel,
[2]To know wisdom, and instruction, to understand the words of knowledge,
[3]To receive instruction to do wisely, by justice and judgment and equity,
[4]To give unto the simple, sharpness of wit, and to the child knowledge and discretion.
[5]A wise man shall hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels,
[6]To understand a parable, 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 thy father's instruction, and forsake not thy mother's teaching.
[9]For they shall be a comely ornament unto thine head, and as chains for thy neck.
[10]My son, if sinners do entice thee, consent thou not.
[11]If they say, Come with us, we will lay wait for blood, and lie privily for the innocent without a cause:
[12]We will swallow them up alive like a grave even whole, as those that go down into the pit:
[13]We shall find all precious riches, and fill our houses with spoil:
[14]Cast in thy lot among us: we will 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]Certainly as without cause the net is spread before the eyes of all that hath wing:
[18]So they lay wait for blood and lie privily for their lives.
[19]Such are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain: he would take away the life of the owners thereof.
[20]Wisdom cryeth without: she uttereth her voice in the streets.
[21]She calleth in the high street, among the prease in the enterings of the gates, and uttereth her words in the city, saying,
[22]O ye foolish, how long will ye love foolishness? And the scornful take their pleasure in scorning, and the fools hate knowledge?
[23](Turn you at my correction: lo, I will pour out my mind unto you, and make you understand my words)
[24]Because I have called, and ye refused: I have stretched out mine hand, and none would regard.
[25]But ye have despised all my counsel, and would none of my correction.
[26]I will also laugh at your destruction, and mock, when your fear cometh.
[27]When your fear cometh like sudden desolation, and your destruction shall come, like a whirl wind: when affliction and anguish shall come 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]Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.
[30]They would none of my counsel, but despised all my correction.
[31]Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devises.
[32]For ease slayeth the foolish, and the prosperity of fools destroyeth them.
[33]But he that obeyeth me, shall dwell safely, and be quiet from fear of evil.
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