1 Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: 2 For knowing wisdom and instruction, || For understanding sayings of intelligence, 3 For receiving the instruction of wisdom, || Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness, 4 For giving to simple ones—prudence, || To a youth—knowledge and discretion. 5 (The wise hear and increase learning, || And the intelligent obtain counsels.) 6 For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, || Words of the wise and their acute sayings. 7 Fear of YHWH is the beginning of knowledge, || Fools have despised wisdom and instruction! 8 Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, || And do not leave the law of your mother, 9 For they are a graceful wreath to your head, || And chains to your neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not be willing. 11 If they say, “Come with us, we lay wait for blood, || We watch secretly for the innocent without cause, 12 We swallow them as Sheol—alive, || And whole—as those going down to the pit, 13 We find every precious substance, || We fill our houses with spoil, 14 You cast your lot among us, || One purse is—to all of us.” 15 My son! Do not go in the way with them, || Withhold your foot from their path, 16 For their feet run to evil, || And they hurry to shed blood. 17 Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird. 18 And they lay wait for their own blood, || They watch secretly for their own lives. 19 So are the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, || It takes the life of its owners. 20 Wisdom cries aloud in an out-place, || She gives out her voice in broad places, 21 She calls at the head of the multitudes, || In the openings of the gates, || In the city she says her sayings: 22 “Until when, you simple, do you love simplicity? And have scorners desired their scorning? And do fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn back at my reproof, behold, || I pour out my spirit to you, || I make known my words with you. 24 Because I have called, and you refuse, || I stretched out my hand, and none is attending, 25 And you slight all my counsel, || And you have not desired my reproof. 26 I also laugh in your calamity, || I deride when your fear comes, 27 When your fear comes as destruction, || And your calamity comes as a windstorm, || When adversity and distress come on you. 28 Then they call me, and I do not answer, || They seek me earnestly, and do not find me. 29 Because that they have hated knowledge, || And have not chosen the fear of YHWH. 30 They have not consented to my counsel, || They have despised all my reproof, 31 And they eat of the fruit of their way, || And they are filled from their own counsels. 32 For the turning of the simple slays them, || And the security of the foolish destroys them. 33 And whoever is listening to me dwells confidently, || And is quiet from fear of evil!”