1 T he proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

The proverbs (truths obscurely expressed, maxims, and parables) of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

2 t o know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

That people may know skillful and godly Wisdom and instruction, discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight,

3 t o receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

Receive instruction in wise dealing and the discipline of wise thoughtfulness, righteousness, justice, and integrity,

4 t o give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

That prudence may be given to the simple, and knowledge, discretion, and discernment to the youth—

5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel —

6 t o understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

That people may understand a proverb and a figure of speech or an enigma with its interpretation, and the words of the wise and their dark sayings or riddles.

7 T he fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline.

8 M y son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

My son, hear the instruction of your father; reject not nor forsake the teaching of your mother.

9 f or they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

For they are a chaplet (garland) of grace upon your head and chains and pendants for your neck.

10 M y son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

11 I f they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

If they say, Come with us; let us lie in wait blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause;

12 l et us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

Let us swallow them up alive as does Sheol (the place of the dead), and whole, as those who go down into the pit;

13 w e shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

We shall find and take all kinds of precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder;

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

Throw in your lot with us and be a sworn brother and comrade; let us all have one purse in common—

15 m y son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

My son, do not walk in the way with them; restrain your foot from their path;

16 f or their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

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

For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird!

18 A nd they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

But they are lying in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives.

19 S o are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain; such takes away the lives of its possessors.

20 W isdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the markets;

21 s he crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

She cries at the head of the noisy intersections; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

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

How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? And the scoffers delight in scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

23 T urn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

If you will turn (repent) and give heed to my reproof, behold, I '> Wisdom] will pour out my spirit upon you, I will make my words known to you.

24 B ecause I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

Because I have called and you have refused, have stretched out my hand and no man has heeded it,

25 b ut ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

And you treated as nothing all my counsel and would accept none of my reproof,

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when the thing comes that shall cause you terror and panic—

27 w hen your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

When your panic comes as a storm and desolation and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.

28 T hen shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

Then will they call upon me but I will not answer; they will seek me early and diligently but they will not find me.

29 f or that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:

Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord,

30 t hey would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

Would accept none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof,

31 T herefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices.

32 F or the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.

33 B ut whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

But whoso hearkens to me shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil.