Proverbs 1

The Beginning of Knowledge

1 aThe proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2 To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
3to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in brighteousness, justice, and equity;
4to give prudence to cthe simple,
knowledge and ddiscretion to the youth
5Let the wise hear and eincrease in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6to understand a proverb and a saying,
fthe words of the wise and their griddles.
7 hThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The Enticement of Sinners

8 iHear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
9for they are ja graceful garland for your head
and kpendants for your neck.
10My son, if sinners lentice you,
do not consent.
11If they say, “Come with us, mlet us lie in wait for blood;
nlet us ambush the innocent without reason;
12like Sheol let us oswallow them alive,
and whole, like pthose 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, qdo not walk in the way with them;
rhold back your foot from their paths,
16for stheir feet run to evil,
and they make haste to shed blood.
17 tFor in vain is a net spread
in the sight of any bird,
18but these men ulie in wait for their own blood;
they vset an ambush for their own lives.
19 wSuch are the ways of everyone who is xgreedy for unjust gain;
yit takes away the life of its possessors.

The Call of Wisdom

20 zWisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
21at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at aathe entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22“How long, O absimple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will acscoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools adhate knowledge?
23If you turn at my reproof,
Or Will you turn away at my reproof?

behold, I will afpour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 agBecause I have called and ahyou refused to listen,
have aistretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25because you have ajignored all my counsel
and akwould have none of my reproof,
26I also alwill laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when amterror strikes you,
27when terror strikes you like ana storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 aoThen they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29Because they aphated knowledge
and aqdid not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 arwould have none of my counsel
and asdespised all my reproof,
31therefore they shall eat atthe fruit of their way,
and have autheir fill of their own devices.
32For the simple are killed by avtheir turning away,
and awthe complacency of fools destroys them;
33but axwhoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be ayat ease, without dread of disaster.”
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