^{1 Ref} Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

^{2 Ref} For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,

^{3 Ref} For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,

^{4 Ref} For giving to simple ones -- prudence, To a youth -- knowledge and discretion.

^{5 Ref} (The wise doth hear and increaseth learning, And the intelligent doth obtain counsels.)

^{6 Ref} For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.

^{7 Ref} Fear of Jehovah `is' a beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and instruction fools have despised!

^{8 Ref} Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother,

^{9 Ref} For a graceful wreath `are' they to thy head, And chains to thy neck.

^{10 Ref} My son, if sinners entice thee be not willing.

^{11 Ref} If they say, `Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,

^{12 Ref} We swallow them as Sheol -- alive, And whole -- as those going down `to' the pit,

^{13 Ref} Every precious substance we find, We fill our houses `with' spoil,

¹⁴ Thy lot thou dost cast among us, One purse is -- to all of us.'

^{15 Ref} My son! go not in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path,

^{16 Ref} For their feet to evil do run, And they haste to shed blood.

^{17 Ref} Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.

^{18 Ref} And they for their own blood lay wait, They watch secretly for their own lives.

^{19 Ref} So `are' the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, The life of its owners it taketh.

^{20 Ref} Wisdom in an out-place crieth aloud, In broad places she giveth forth her voice,

^{21 Ref} At the head of the multitudes she calleth, In the openings of the gates, In the city her sayings she saith:

^{22 Ref} `Till when, ye simple, do ye love simplicity? And have scorners their scorning desired? And do fools hate knowledge?

^{23 Ref} Turn back at my reproof, lo, I pour forth to you my spirit, I make known my words with you.

^{24 Ref} Because I have called, and ye refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,

^{25 Ref} And ye slight all my counsel, And my reproof ye have not desired.

^{26 Ref} I also in your calamity do laugh, I deride when your fear cometh,

^{27 Ref} When your fear cometh as destruction, And your calamity as a hurricane doth come, When on you come adversity and distress.

^{28 Ref} Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and find me not.

^{29 Ref} Because that they have hated knowledge, And the fear of Jehovah have not chosen.

^{30 Ref} They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,

^{31 Ref} And they eat of the fruit of their way, And from their own counsels they are filled.

^{32 Ref} For the turning of the simple slayeth them, And the security of the foolish destroyeth them.

^{33 Ref} And whoso is hearkening to me dwelleth confidently, And `is' quiet from fear of evil!'