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¹ The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:² That men may know wisdom and instruction, understand words of insight,³ receive instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity;⁴ that prudence may be given to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth--⁵ the wise man also may hear and increase in learning, and the man of understanding acquire skill,⁶ to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles.

⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.⁸ Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and reject not your mother's teaching;⁹ for they are a fair garland for your head, and pendants for your neck.

¹⁰ My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.¹¹ If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us wantonly ambush the innocent;¹² like Sheol let us swallow them alive and whole, like those who go down to the Pit;¹³ we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with spoil;¹⁴ throw in your lot among us, we will all have one purse" --¹⁵ my son, do not walk in the way with them, hold back your foot from their paths;¹⁶ for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.¹⁷ For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird;¹⁸ but these men lie in wait for their own blood, they set an ambush for their own lives.¹⁹ Such are the ways of all who get gain by violence; it takes away the life of its possessors.

²⁰ Wisdom cries aloud in the street; in the markets she raises her voice;²¹ on the top of the walls she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:²² "How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?²³ Give heed to my reproof; behold, I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make my words known to you.²⁴ Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,²⁵ and you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,²⁶ I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when panic strikes you,²⁷ when panic strikes you like a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.²⁸ Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.²⁹ Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,³⁰ would have none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof,³¹ therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way and be sated with their own devices.³² For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacence of fools destroys them;³³ but he who listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of evil."