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

2 T o know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding,

3 T o receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity;

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

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

6 T o 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, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. Shun Evil Counsel

8 M y son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother;

9 F or 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.

11 I f 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, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;

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

14 C ast 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 foot from their path;

16 F or 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;

18 B ut they lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk secretly for their own lives.

19 S o 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 calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.

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

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

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

24 B ecause I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

25 B ecause you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,

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

27 W hen 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.

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

30 T hey would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke.

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

32 F or the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

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