1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

2 to know wisdom and instruction;

to discern the words of understanding;

3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,

in righteousness, justice, and equity;

4 to give prudence to the simple,

knowledge and discretion to the young man—

5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;

that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;

6 to understand a proverb and parables,

the words and riddles of the wise.

7 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge,

but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

8 My son, listen to your father’s instruction,

and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;

9 for they will be a garland to grace your head,

and chains around your neck.

10 My son, if sinners entice you,

don’t consent.

11 If they say, "Come with us.

Let’s lie in wait for blood.

Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.

12 Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol,

and whole, like those who go down into the pit.

13 We’ll find all valuable wealth.

We’ll fill our houses with plunder.

14 You shall cast your lot among us.

We’ll all have one purse"—

15 my son, don’t walk on the path with them.

Keep your foot from their path,

16 for their feet run to evil.

They hurry to shed blood.

17 For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;

18 but these lay in wait for their own blood.

They lurk secretly for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain.

It takes away the life of its owners.

20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street.

She utters her voice in the public squares.

21 She calls at the head of noisy places.

At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:

22 "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?

How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery,

and fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn at my reproof.

Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you.

I will make known my words to you.

24 Because I have called, and you have refused;

I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;

25 but you have ignored all my counsel,

and wanted none of my reproof;

26 I also will laugh at your disaster.

I will mock when calamity overtakes you,

27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,

when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come on you.

28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer.

They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,

29 because they hated knowledge,

and didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.

30 They wanted none of my counsel.

They despised all my reproof.

31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,

and be filled with their own schemes.

32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them.

The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely,

and will be at ease, without fear of harm."

1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel;

2 to know wisdom and chastening; to understand prudent words;

3 to receive the chastening of prudence, justice, judgment, and equity;

4 to give prudence to the simple, and to the young men knowledge and council.

5 If the wise will hear [them], doctrine shall increase, and the man of understanding shall acquire wise counsel:

6 To understand [a] parable and [the] interpretation; the words of the wise and their enigmas.

7 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge, [but] fools despise wisdom and chastening.

8 My son, hearken unto the chastening of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

9 For they [shall be] an increase of grace unto thy head and protection about thy neck.

10 My son, if sinners entice thee, do not consent.

11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay [in] wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without cause.

12 Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol and whole as those that go down into the pit;

13 We shall find all kinds of riches, we shall fill our houses with spoil.

14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

15 My son, do not walk in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

16 For their feet shall run to evil and make haste to shed blood.

17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18 And they lay [in]wait for their [own] blood; they ambush their [own] souls.

19 So [are] the ways of every one that is greedy of gain [which] takes away the life of those who possess it.

20 Wisdom cries without; she utters her voice in the streets:

21 She cries in the chief place of concourse, in the entrance to the gates of the city she utters her words, [saying,]

22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and the fools hate knowledge?

23 Return at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

24 Because I have called and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one responded;

25 [for because] ye have disregarded all my counsel and rejected my reproof:

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes upon [you];

27 when what you have feared comes as destruction, and your calamity comes as a whirlwind; when tribulation and anguish come upon you.

28 Then they shall 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 rejected 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 counsel.

32 For the rest of the ignorant shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

33 But whosoever hearkens unto me shall dwell safely and shall rest from [the] fear of evil.: