Proverbs 1

The fear of the Lord is the beginning

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:a ²for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; ³for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair;b ⁴for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— ⁵let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—c ⁶for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.d

⁷The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.e

Do not go with them

⁸Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.f ⁹They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. ¹⁰My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them.g

¹¹If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul; ¹²let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; ¹³we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; ¹⁴cast lots with us; we will all share the loot”— ¹⁵my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths;h ¹⁶for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood.

¹⁷How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it! ¹⁸These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves! ¹⁹Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it.

Wisdom cries out in the street

²⁰Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; ²¹on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: ²²“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?

²³Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings.i ²⁴But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,j ²⁵since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, ²⁶I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—k ²⁷when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

²⁸“Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me,l ²⁹since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. ³⁰Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, ³¹they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.m

³²For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; ³³but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”n