Proverbs 1

¹ The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

² That men may appreciate wisdom and discipline, may understand words of intelligence;

³ May receive training in wise conduct, in what is right, just and honest;

⁴ That resourcefulness may be imparted to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

⁵ A wise man by hearing them will advance in learning, an intelligent man will gain sound guidance,

⁶ That he may comprehend proverb and parable, the words of the wise and their riddles.

⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; wisdom and instruction fools despise.

⁸ Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and reject not your mother's teaching;

⁹ A graceful diadem will they be for your head; a torque for your neck.

¹⁰ My son, should sinners entice you,

¹¹ and say, "Come along with us! Let us lie in wait for the honest man, let us, unprovoked, set a trap for the innocent;

¹² Let us swallow them up, as the nether world does, alive, in the prime of life, like those who go down to the pit!

¹³ All kinds of precious wealth shall we gain, we shall fill our houses with booty;

¹⁴ Cast in your lot with us, we shall all have one purse!"--

¹⁵ My son, walk not in the way with them, hold back your foot from their path!

¹⁶ (For their feet run to evil, they hasten to shed blood.)

¹⁷ It is in vain that a net is spread before the eyes of any bird--

¹⁸ These men lie in wait for their own blood, they set a trap for their own lives.

¹⁹ This is the fate of everyone greedy of loot: unlawful gain takes away the life of him who acquires it.

²⁰ Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the open squares she raises her voice;

²¹ Down the crowded ways she calls out, at the city gates she utters her words:

²² "How long, you simple ones, will you love inanity,

²³ how long will you turn away at my reproof? Lo! I will pour out to you my spirit, I will acquaint you with my words.

²⁴ "Because I called and you refused, I extended my hand and no one took notice;

²⁵ Because you disdained all my counsel, and my reproof you ignored--

²⁶ I, in my turn, will laugh at your doom; I will mock when terror overtakes you;

²⁷ When terror comes upon you like a storm, and your doom approaches like a whirlwind; when distress and anguish befall you.

²⁸ "Then they call me, but I answer not; they seek me, but find me not;

²⁹ Because they hated knowledge, and chose not the fear of the LORD;

³⁰ They ignored my counsel, they spurned all my reproof; And in their arrogance they preferred arrogance, and like fools they hated knowledge:

³¹ "Now they must eat the fruit of their own way, and with their own devices be glutted.

³² For the self-will of the simple kills them, the smugness of fools destroys them.

³³ But he who obeys me dwells in security, in peace, without fear of harm."