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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8My son, hear the instruction of your father and forsake not 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, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; we will watch secretly for the innocent without cause;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21She 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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