The proverbs of Solomon
the son
of David
, king
of Israel
;
To know wisdom
and instruction
; to perceive
the words
of understanding
;
To receive the instruction
of wisdom
, justice
, and judgment
, and equity
;
To give subtilty
to the simple
, to the young man
knowledge
and discretion
.
A wise man will hear
, and will increase
learning
; and a man of understanding
shall attain
unto wise counsels
:
To understand a proverb
, and the interpretation
; the words
of the wise
, and their dark sayings
.
The fear of the LORD
is the beginning
of knowledge
: but fools
despise
wisdom
and instruction
.
My son, hear
the instruction
of thy father
, and forsake
not the law
of thy mother
:
For they shall be an ornament of grace
unto thy head
, and chains
about thy neck
.
My son, if sinners
entice
thee, consent
thou not.
If they say, Come
with us, let us lay wait
for blood
, let us lurk
privily for the innocent
without cause
:
Let us swallow them up alive
as the grave
; and whole
, as those that go down
into the pit
:
We shall find all precious
substance
, we shall fill
our houses
with spoil
:
Cast in thy lot
among
us; let us all have one
purse
:
My son, walk
not thou in the way
with them; refrain
thy foot
from their path
:
For their feet run
to evil
, and make haste
to shed
blood
.
Surely in vain the net
is spread
in the sight
of any bird
.
And they lay wait for their own blood
; they lurk privily
for their own lives
.
So are the ways of every one that is greedy
of gain
; which taketh away
the life
of the owners
thereof.
Wisdom crieth
without
; she uttereth
her voice
in the streets
:
She crieth in the chief place
of concourse
, in the openings
of the gates
: in the city
she uttereth
her words
, saying ,
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love
simplicity
? and the scorners
delight
in their scorning
, and fools
hate
knowledge
?
Turn you at my reproof
: behold, I will pour out
my spirit
unto you, I will make known
my words
unto you.
Because I have called, and ye refused
; I have stretched out
my hand
, and no man regarded
;
But ye have set at nought all my counsel
, and would
none of my reproof
:
I also will laugh at your calamity
; I will mock
when your fear
cometh
;
When your fear cometh
as desolation
, and your destruction
cometh
as a whirlwind
; when distress
and anguish
cometh
upon you.
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer
; they shall seek me early
, but they shall not find
me:
For that they hated knowledge
, and did not choose
the fear
of the LORD
:
They would none of my counsel
: they despised
all my reproof
.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit
of their own way
, and be filled
with their own devices
.
For the turning away of the simple
shall slay
them, and the prosperity
of fools
shall destroy
them.
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell
safely
, and shall be quiet
from fear
of evil
.