1 T hese are the wise sayings of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

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

2 T hey show you how to know wisdom and teaching, to find 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 hey help you learn about the ways of wisdom and what is right and fair.

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

4 T hey give wisdom to the child-like, and much learning and wisdom to those who are young.

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

5 A wise man will hear and grow in learning. A man of understanding will become able

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 saying and a picture-story, the words of the wise and what they mean.

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 much learning. Fools hate wisdom and teaching.

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 H ear your father’s teaching, my son, and do not turn away from your mother’s teaching.

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

9 F or they are a glory to your head and a chain of beauty around your 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 try to lead you into sin, do not go with them.

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

11 I f they say, “Come with us. Let us lie in wait to kill someone. Let us set a trap for those who are without blame.

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 alive like death, as those who go down to the grave.

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 will find all kinds of things of great worth. We will fill our houses with the stolen riches.

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

14 T hrow in your share with us. We will all have one money bag.”

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, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet 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 sin and hurry to kill.

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

17 Y es, the net is spread for nothing if the bird is watching.

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

18 T hey set traps for their own lives and wait to die.

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

19 S uch are the ways of all who get things by hurting others. Their desire for stolen riches takes away their own lives.

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

20 W isdom calls out in the street. She lifts her voice in the center of town.

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

21 T here she cries out in the noisy streets. At the open gates of the city she speaks:

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

22 “ O foolish ones, how long will you love being foolish? How long will those who laugh at others be happy in their laughing? How long will fools hate much learning?

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

23 L isten to my strong words! See, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make my words known to 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 I called but you would not listen. I put out my hand and no one gave it a thought.

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

25 Y ou did not listen when I told you what you should do, and you would not hear any of my strong words.

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

26 S o I will laugh at your trouble. I will laugh when you are afraid.

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

27 F ear will come to you like a storm. Hard times will come like a strong wind. When trouble and suffering come 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 they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will look for me, but they will 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 B ecause they hated much learning, 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 not listen when I told them what they should do. They laughed at all my strong words.

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

31 S o they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own plans.

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

32 F or the foolish will be killed by their turning away. The trust that fools put in themselves will destroy them.

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

33 B ut he who listens to me will live free from danger, and he will rest easy from the fear of what is sinful.”

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