1The Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: 2To know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding; 3to receive instruction in wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; 4to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man. 5The wise hears and increases learning, and the one of understanding gets wise counsel, 6to understand a proverb and an enigma; the words of the wise, and their difficult sayings. 7The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; 9for they shall be an ornament of grace to your head, and chains around your neck. 10My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. 11If they say, Walk with us, let us lie in 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 sorts of precious stuff, we shall fill our houses with plunder; 14cast in your lot among us, let us all have one purse. 15My son, do not walk in the way with them! Withhold your foot from their path; 16for their feet run to evil and they make haste to shed blood. 17Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. 18And they lie in wait for their own blood; they lurk secretly for their own souls. 19So are the ways of everyone who gets unjust gain; it takes away the soul of its master. 20Wisdom cries aloud outside; she utters her voice in the square; 21she calls out over the tumult; at the openings of the gates, in the city she utters her words: 22How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity; and those who scorn desire their scorning; and fools hate knowledge? 23Turn back at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you; I will make my words known to you. 24Because I have called, and you refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one pays attention, 25but you have ignored all my counsel, and have not desired my reproof: 26I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your terror comes; 27when your terror comes like a storm; and your devastation arrives like a tempest, when distress and anguish come upon you. 28Then they shall call upon me, and I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. 29Because they hated knowledge and chose not the fear of Jehovah. 30They did not desire 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 turning away of the simple kills them, and the ease of fools destroys them. 33But whoever listens to me shall live in confidence, and shall rest securely from the dread of evil.