PROVERBS 1 [†] a The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2[†] To know wisdom and instruction,

to understand words of insight,

3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,

in  b righteousness, justice, and equity;

4 to give prudence to  c the simple,

knowledge and  d discretion to the youth—

5[†] Let the wise hear and  e increase in learning,

and the one who understands obtain guidance,

6 to understand a proverb and a saying,

 f the words of the wise and their  g riddles.

7[^][†]  h The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;

fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8[^][†]  i Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,

and forsake not your mother’s teaching,

9 for they are  j a graceful garland for your head

and  k pendants for your neck.

10 My son, if sinners  l entice you,

do not consent.

11 If they say, “Come with us,  m let us lie in wait for blood;

 n let us ambush the innocent without reason;

12 like Sheol let us  o swallow them alive,

and whole, like  p those who go down to the pit;

13[†] we shall find all precious goods,

we shall fill our houses with plunder;

14 throw in your lot among us;

we will all have one purse”—

15 my son,  q do not walk in the way with them;

 r hold back your foot from their paths,

16 for  s their feet run to evil,

and they make haste to shed blood.

17[†]  t For in vain is a net spread

in the sight of any bird,

18[^] but these men  u lie in wait for their own blood;

they  u set an ambush for their own lives.

19[^]  v Such are the ways of everyone who is  w greedy for unjust gain;

 x it takes away the life of its possessors.

20[^][†]  y Wisdom cries aloud in the street,

in the markets she raises her voice;

21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;

at  z the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

22 “How long, O  a simple ones, will you love being simple?

How long will  b scoffers delight in their scoffing

and fools  c hate knowledge?

23 If you turn at my reproof, [1]

behold, I will  d pour out my spirit to you;

I will make my words known to you.

24  e Because I have called and  f you refused to listen,

have  g stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

25 because you have  h ignored all my counsel

and  i would have none of my reproof,

26 I also  j will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when  k terror strikes you,

27 when terror strikes you like  l a storm

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come upon you.

28[†]  m Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;

they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

29[†] Because they  c hated knowledge

and  n did not choose the fear of the LORD,

30  h would have none of my counsel

and  i despised all my reproof,

31[†] therefore they shall eat  o the fruit of their way,

and have  p their fill of their own devices.

32 For the simple are killed by  q their turning away,

and  r the complacency of fools destroys them;

33 but  s whoever listens to me will dwell secure

and will be  t at ease, without dread of disaster.”