Proverbs 1

₂To know wisdom and instruction,

to understand words of insight,

₃to receive instruction in wise dealing,

in righteousness, justice, and equity;

₄to give prudence to the simple,

knowledge and discretion to the youth—

₅Let the wise hear and increase in learning,

and the one who understands obtain guidance,

₆to understand a proverb and a saying,

the words of the wise and their riddles.

₇The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;

fools despise wisdom and instruction.

₈Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,

and forsake not your mother’s teaching,

₉for they are a graceful garland for your head

and pendants for your neck.

₁₀My son, if sinners entice you,

do not consent.

₁₁If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;

let us ambush the innocent without reason;

₁₂like Sheol let us swallow them alive,

and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

₁₃we shall find all precious goods,

we shall fill our houses with plunder;

₁₄throw in your lot among us;

we will all have one purse”—

₁₅my son, do not walk in the way with them;

hold back your foot from their paths,

₁₆for their feet run to evil,

and they make haste to shed blood.

₁₇For in vain is a net spread

in the sight of any bird,

₁₈but these men lie in wait for their own blood;

they set an ambush for their own lives.

₁₉Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;

it takes away the life of its possessors.

₂₀Wisdom cries aloud in the street,

in the markets she raises her voice;

₂₁at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;

at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

₂₂“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?

How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing

and fools hate knowledge?

₂₃If you turn at my reproof,

behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;

I will make my words known to you.

₂₄Because I have called and you refused to listen,

have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

₂₅because you have ignored all my counsel

and would have none of my reproof,

₂₆I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when terror strikes you,

₂₇when terror strikes you like a storm

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come upon you.

₂₈Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;

they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

₂₉Because they hated knowledge

and did not choose the fear of the Lord,

₃₀would have none of my counsel

and despised all my reproof,

₃₁therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,

and have their fill of their own devices.

₃₂For the simple are killed by their turning away,

and the complacency of fools destroys them;

₃₃but whoever listens to me will dwell secure

and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”