Proverbs 1

1. The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

2. To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

3. To receive the instruction of wisdom, righteousness, and judgment, and equity;

4. To give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man.

5. A wise man will hear and will increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsel

6. To understand a proverb and its interpretation, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

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

8. My son, hear the instruction of your father and forsake not the law of your mother,

9. For they shall be an ornament of grace to your head and chains of honor around your neck.

10. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

11. If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; we will watch secretly for the innocent without cause;

12. Let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those who go down into the pit;

13. We shall find all precious substance; we shall fill our houses with plunder;

14. Cast in your lot among us, and let us have one purse.”

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

16. For their feet run to evil and make haste to shed blood.

17. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird,

18. But they lie in wait for their own blood; they watch secretly for their own lives.

19. So are the ways of everyone who gets gain by violence, who takes away the life of its owners.

20. Wisdom cries outside; she utters her voice in the streets;

21. She cries in the chief place of gathering, in the openings of the gates; in the city she utters her words, saying,

22. “How long will you love simplicity, simple ones? And will scorners delight in their scorning? And will fools hate knowledge?

23. Turn back at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.

24. Because I called, and you refused to hearken, I stretched out my hand, and no one paid attention;

25. But you have despised all my counsel and would have none of my reproof.

26. I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes;

27. When your calamity comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when trouble and pain come upon you,

28. Then they shall call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.

29. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,

30. They would have none of my counsel; they despised all my correction.

31. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices.

32. For the waywardness of the simple shall slay them, and the complacency of fools destroys them.

33. But whoever hearkens to me shall dwell safely and shall be secure without fear of harm.”