Proverbs

¹The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel: ²to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding; ³to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; ⁴to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man— ⁵that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel; ⁶to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise. ⁷The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

⁸My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching; ⁹for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck. ¹⁰My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent. ¹¹If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause. ¹²Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit. ¹³We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder. ¹⁴You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse”— ¹⁵my son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path, ¹⁶for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood. ¹⁷For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird; ¹⁸but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives. ¹⁹So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.

²⁰Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares. ²¹She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words: ²²“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge? ²³Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you. ²⁴Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention; ²⁵but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof; ²⁶I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you, ²⁷when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you. ²⁸Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me, ²⁹because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD. ³⁰They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof. ³¹Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes. ³²For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them. ³³But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”