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