The Proverbs

1 THE PROVERBS of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; 2 To know wisdom and instruction; to comprehend the words of understanding; 3 To receive the discipline of wisdom, justice, and right, and equity; 4 To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion; 5 That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and the man of understanding may attain unto wise counsels; 6 To understand a proverb, and a figure; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and discipline. 8 Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother; 9 For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. 11 If they say: 'Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us lurk for the innocent without cause; 12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; 13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil; 14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse' — 15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them, restrain thy foot from their path; 16 For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. 17 For in vain the net is spread in the eyes of any bird; 18 And these lie in wait for their own blood, they lurk for their own lives. 19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; it taketh away the life of the owners thereof. 20 Wisdom crieth aloud in the streets, she uttereth her voice in the broad places; 21 She calleth at the head of the noisy streets, at the entrances of the gates, in the city, she uttereth her words: 22 'How long, ye thoughtless, will ye love thoughtlessness? And how long will scorners delight them in scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man attended, 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof; 26 I also, in your calamity, will laugh, I will mock when your dread cometh; 27 When your dread cometh as a storm, and your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; when trouble and distress come upon you. 28 Then will they call me, but I will not answer, they will seek me earnestly, but they shall not find me. 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD; 30 They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32 For the waywardness of the thoughtless shall slay them, and the confidence of fools shall destroy them. 33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.'