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

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

2 T o know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding,

To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding,

3 T o receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity;

To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity;

4 T o give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion,

To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion—

5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

6 T o understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles.

To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles.

7 T he fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. The Enticement of Sinners

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. Shun Evil Counsel

8 H ear, my son, your father’s instruction And do not forsake your mother’s teaching;

My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother;

9 I ndeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck.

For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck.

10 M y son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.

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

11 I f they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause;

If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

12 L et us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who go down to the pit;

Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;

13 W e will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with spoil;

We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, We shall fill our houses with spoil;

14 T hrow in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse,”

Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse”—

15 M y son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path,

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

16 F or their feet run to evil And they hasten to shed blood.

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

17 I ndeed, it is useless to spread the baited net In the sight of any bird;

Surely, in vain the net is spread In the sight of any bird;

18 B ut they lie in wait for their own blood; They ambush their own lives.

But they lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk secretly for their own lives.

19 S o are the ways of everyone who gains by violence; It takes away the life of its possessors. Wisdom Warns

So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners. The Call of Wisdom

20 W isdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square;

Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.

21 A t the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:

She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words:

22 “ How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?

“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge.

23 “ Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.

Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.

24 “ Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;

Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

25 A nd you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof;

Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,

26 I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes,

I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,

27 W hen your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.

When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.

28 “ Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me,

“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

29 B ecause they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord.

Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord,

30 “ They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof.

They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke.

31 “ So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices.

Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

32 “ For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them.

For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

33 “ But he who listens to me shall live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”

But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”