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[1]The Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
[2]To know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
[3]to receive instruction in wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
[4]to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man.
[5]The wise hears and increases learning, and the one of understanding gets wise counsel,
[6]to understand a proverb and an enigma; the words of the wise, and their difficult sayings.
[7]The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
[8]My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother;
[9]for they shall be an ornament of grace to your head, and chains around your neck.
[10]My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
[11]If they say, Walk with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause,
[12]let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those who go down into the Pit,
[13]we shall find all sorts of precious stuff, we shall fill our houses with plunder;
[14]cast in your lot among us, let us all have one purse.
[15]My son, do not walk in the way with them! Withhold your foot from their path;
[16]for their feet run to evil and they make haste to shed blood.
[17]Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
[18]And they lie in wait for their own blood; they lurk secretly for their own souls.
[19]So are the ways of everyone who gets unjust gain; it takes away the soul of its master.
[20]Wisdom cries aloud outside; she utters her voice in the square;
[21]she calls out over the tumult; at the openings of the gates, in the city she utters her words:
[22]How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity; and those who scorn desire their scorning; and fools hate knowledge?
[23]Turn back at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you; I will make my words known to you.
[24]Because I have called, and you refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one pays attention,
[25]but you have ignored all my counsel, and have not desired my reproof:
[26]I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your terror comes;
[27]when your terror comes like a storm; and your devastation arrives like a tempest, when distress and anguish come upon you.
[28]Then they shall call upon me, and I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.
[29]Because they hated knowledge and chose not the fear of Jehovah.
[30]They did not desire my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
[31]Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices.
[32]For the turning away of the simple kills them, and the ease of fools destroys them.
[33]But whoever listens to me shall live in confidence, and shall rest securely from the dread of evil.
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