Study Desk

The ^(C1)proverbs of Solomon ^(C2)the son of David, king of Israel:

To know ^(C1)wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of ^(C2)understanding,

To ^(C1)receive instruction in wise behavior, ^(C2)Righteousness, justice, and integrity;

To give ^(C1)prudence to the naive, To the youth ^(C2)knowledge and discretion,

A wise person will hear and ^(C1)increase in learning, And a ^(C2)person of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

To understand a proverb and a saying, The words of the wise and their ^(C1)riddles.

^(C1)The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

^(C1)Listen, my son, to your father's instruction, And ^(C2)do not ignore your mother's teaching;

For they are a ^(C1)graceful wreath for your head And ^(C2)necklaces for your neck.

My son, if sinners ^(C1)entice you, ^(C2)Do not consent.

If they say, "Come with us, Let's ^(C1)lie in wait for blood, Let's ^(C2)ambush the innocent without cause;

Let's ^(C1)swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, like those who ^(C2)go down to the pit;

We will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with plunder;

Throw in your lot ^(F1)with us; We will all have one money bag,"

My son, ^(C1)do not walk on the way with them. ^(C2)Keep your feet from their path,

For ^(C1)their feet run to evil, And they are quick to shed blood.

Indeed, it is ^(F1)useless to spread the baited net In the sight of any ^(F2)bird;

But they ^(C1)lie in wait for their own blood; They ambush their own lives.

Such are the ways of everyone who ^(C1)makes unjust gain; It takes away the life of its possessors.

^(C1)Wisdom shouts in the street, She ^(F1)raises her voice in the public square;

At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she declares her sayings:

"How long, you ^(C1)naive ones, will you love simplistic thinking? And how long will ^(C2)scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools ^(C3)hate knowledge?

-"Turn to my rebuke, Behold, I will ^(C1)pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.

-"Because ^(C1)I called and you ^(C2)refused, I ^(C3)stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;

And you ^(C1)neglected all my advice And did not ^(C2)want my rebuke;

I will also ^(C1)laugh at your ^(C2)disaster; I will mock when your ^(C3)dread comes,

When your dread comes like a storm And your disaster comes like a ^(C1)whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.

-"Then they will ^(C1)call on me, but I will not answer; They will ^(C2)seek me diligently but will not find me,

Because they ^(C1)hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD.

-"They ^(C1)did not accept my advice, They disdainfully rejected every rebuke from me.

-"So they shall ^(C1)eat of the fruit of their own way, And be ^(C2)filled with their own schemes.

-"For the ^(C1)faithlessness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them.

-"But ^(C1)whoever listens to me will live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil."