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 discern the words of understanding;

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

to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;

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

to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man:

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

that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:

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

to understand a proverb, and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.

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

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

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

My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching:

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

for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.

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

My son, if sinners entice you, don’t 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’s lay in wait for blood; let’s 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’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit.

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

We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.

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

You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse.”

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

My son, don’t walk on the path 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. They hurry to shed blood.

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

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

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

but these lay 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.

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

Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public 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 calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters 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? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, 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 reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words 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 have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;

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

but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;

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

I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you;

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

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,

Then will they 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 didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.

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

They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.

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

Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.

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

For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease 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 securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”