11 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David , king of Israel : 2 To know wisdom and instruction , To discern the sayings of understanding , 3 To receive instruction in wise behavior , Righteousness , justice and equity ; 4 To give prudence to the [1]naive , To the youth knowledge and discretion , 5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning , And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel , 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 do not forsake your mother's teaching ; 9 Indeed , they are a graceful wreath to your head And [2] ornaments about 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 ambush the innocent without cause ; 12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol , Even whole , as those who go down to the pit ; 13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth , We will fill our houses with spoil ; 14 Throw in your lot [3]with us, We shall all have one purse ," 15 My son , do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path , 16 For their feet run to evil And they hasten to shed blood . 17 Indeed , it is [4]useless to spread the baited net In the sight of any [5]bird e ; 18 But they lie in wait for their own blood ; They ambush their own lives . 19 So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence ; It takes away the life of its possessors .
20 Wisdom shouts in the street , She [6]lifts her voice in the square ; 21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings : 22 "How long e , O [7] naive ones , will you love [8]being simple-minded ? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge ? 23 "Turn to my reproof , Behold , I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. 24 "Because I called and you refused , I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention ; 25 And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof ; 26 I will also laugh at your calamity ; I will mock when your dread comes , 27 When your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a whirlwind , When distress and anguish come upon you. 28 "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer ; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me, 29 Because e they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord . 30 "They would not accept my counsel , They spurned all my reproof . 31 "So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices . 32 "For the waywardness of the [9]naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them. 33 "But he who listens to me shall [10]live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil ."
