^{1 Ref} The wise sayings of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.

^{2 Ref} To have knowledge of wise teaching; to be clear about the words of reason:

^{3 Ref} To be trained in the ways of wisdom, in righteousness and judging truly and straight behaviour:

^{4 Ref} To make the simple-minded sharp, and to give the young man knowledge, and serious purpose:

^{5 Ref} (The wise man, hearing, will get greater learning, and the acts of the man of good sense will be wisely guided:)

^{6 Ref} To get the sense of wise sayings and secrets, and of the words of the wise and their dark sayings.

^{7 Ref} The fear of the Lord is the start of knowledge: but the foolish have no use for wisdom and teaching.

^{8 Ref} My son, give ear to the training of your father, and do not give up the teaching of your mother:

^{9 Ref} For they will be a crown of grace for your head, and chain-ornaments about your neck.

^{10 Ref} My son, if sinners would take you out of the right way, do not go with them.

^{11 Ref} If they say, Come with us; let us make designs against the good, waiting secretly for the upright, without cause;

^{12 Ref} Let us overcome them living, like the underworld, and in their strength, as those who go down to death;

^{13 Ref} Goods of great price will be ours, our houses will be full of wealth;

¹⁴ Take your chance with us, and we will all have one money-bag:

^{15 Ref} My son, do not go with them; keep your feet from their ways:

^{16 Ref} For their feet are running after evil, and they are quick to take a man's life.

^{17 Ref} Truly, to no purpose is the net stretched out before the eyes of the bird:

^{18 Ref} And they are secretly waiting for their blood and making ready destruction for themselves.

^{19 Ref} Such is the fate of everyone who goes in search of profit; it takes away the life of its owners.

^{20 Ref} Wisdom is crying out in the street; her voice is loud in the open places;

^{21 Ref} Her words are sounding in the meeting-places, and in the doorways of the town:

^{22 Ref} How long, you simple ones, will foolish things be dear to you? and pride a delight to the haters of authority? how long will the foolish go on hating knowledge?

^{23 Ref} Be turned again by my sharp words: see, I will send the flow of my spirit on you, and make my words clear to you.

^{24 Ref} Because your ears were shut to my voice; no one gave attention to my out-stretched hand;

^{25 Ref} You were not controlled by my guiding, and would have nothing to do with my sharp words:

^{26 Ref} So in the day of your trouble I will be laughing; I will make sport of your fear;

^{27 Ref} When your fear comes on you like a storm, and your trouble like a rushing wind; when pain and sorrow come on you.

^{28 Ref} Then I will give no answer to their cries; searching for me early, they will not see me:

^{29 Ref} For they were haters of knowledge, and did not give their hearts to the fear of the Lord:

^{30 Ref} They had no desire for my teaching, and my words of protest were as nothing to them.

^{31 Ref} So the fruit of their way will be their food, and with the designs of their hearts they will be made full.

^{32 Ref} For the turning back of the simple from teaching will be the cause of their death, and the peace of the foolish will be their destruction.

^{33 Ref} But whoever gives ear to me will take his rest safely, living in peace without fear of evil.

^{1 Ref} The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

^{2 Ref} To know wisdom and instruction; To discern the words of understanding;

^{3 Ref} To receive instruction in wise dealing, In righteousness, justice, and equity;

^{4 Ref} To give prudence to the simple, Knowledge and discretion to the young man:

^{5 Ref} That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; That the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:

^{6 Ref} To understand a proverb, and parables, The words and riddles of the wise.

^{7 Ref} The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

^{8 Ref} My son, listen to your father's instruction, And don't forsake your mother's teaching:

^{9 Ref} For they will be a garland to grace your head, And chains around your neck.

^{10 Ref} My son, if sinners entice you, don't consent.

^{11 Ref} If they say, "Come with us, Let's lay in wait for blood; Let's lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

^{12 Ref} Let's swallow them up alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down into the pit.

^{13 Ref} We'll find all valuable wealth. We'll fill our houses with spoil.

¹⁴ You shall cast your lot among us. We'll all have one purse."

^{15 Ref} My son, don't walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from their path,

^{16 Ref} For their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.

^{17 Ref} For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird:

^{18 Ref} But these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.

^{19 Ref} So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.

^{20 Ref} Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.

^{21 Ref} She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:

^{22 Ref} "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, And fools hate knowledge?

^{23 Ref} Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.

^{24 Ref} Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;

^{25 Ref} But you have ignored all my counsel, And wanted none of my reproof;

^{26 Ref} I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you;

^{27 Ref} When calamity overtakes you like a storm, When your disaster comes on like a whirlwind; When distress and anguish come on you.

^{28 Ref} Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;

^{29 Ref} Because they hated knowledge, And didn't choose the fear of Yahweh.

^{30 Ref} They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.

^{31 Ref} Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own schemes.

^{32 Ref} For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

^{33 Ref} But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, And will be at ease, without fear of harm."