< Proverbs 1 >
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel,
2 to know wisdom and instruction, to discern the words of understanding,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness and justice and equity,
4 to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion,
5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsels,
6 to understand a proverb, and a figure, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge. The foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
9 For they shall be a garland of grace to thy head, and chains about thy neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
11 If they say, Come with us. Let us lay wait for blood. Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
12 Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those who go down into the pit. (Sheol )
13 We shall find all precious substance. We shall fill our houses with spoil.
14 Thou shall cast thy lot among us. We will all have one bag.
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them. Restrain thy foot from their path.
16 For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
17 For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird,
18 and these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain. It takes away the life of the owners of it.
20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the broad places.
21 She cries in the chief place of concourse, at the entrance of the gates, in the city. She utters her words:
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn back at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you. I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called, and ye have refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man has regarded,
25 but ye have made all my counsel void, and want none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear comes,
27 when your fear comes as a storm, and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me,
29 because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Jehovah.
30 They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the backsliding of the simple shall kill them, and the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.
33 But he who hearkens to me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.
