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¹ The proverbs of Shlomo, the son of David, king of Yisra'el: ² To know wisdom and instruction; To discern the words of understanding; ³ To receive instruction in wise dealing, In righteousness, justice, and equity; ⁴ To give prudence to the simple, Knowledge and discretion to the young man: ⁵ That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; That the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel: ⁶ To understand a proverb, and parables, The words and riddles of the wise.

⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction. ⁸ My son, listen to your father's instruction, And don't forsake your mother's teaching: ⁹ For they will be a garland to grace your head, And chains around your neck.

¹⁰ My son, if sinners entice you, don't consent. ¹¹ If they say, "Come with us, Let's lay in wait for blood; Let's lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; ¹² Let's swallow them up alive like She'ol, And whole, like those who go down into the pit. ¹³ 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 My son, don't walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from their path, ¹⁶ For their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood. ¹⁷ For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird: ¹⁸ These lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives. ¹⁹ So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain. It takes away the life of its owners.

²⁰ Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares. ²¹ She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words: ²² "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, And fools hate knowledge? ²³ Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you. ²⁴ Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention; ²⁵ But you have ignored all my counsel, And wanted none of my reproof; ²⁶ I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you; ²⁷ When calamity overtakes you like a storm, When your disaster comes on like a whirlwind; When distress and anguish come on you. ²⁸ Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me; ²⁹ Because they hated knowledge, And didn't choose the fear of the LORD. ³⁰ They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof. ³¹ Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own schemes. ³² For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them. ³³ But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, And will be at ease, without fear of harm."