The Beginning of Knowledge

¹ These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David,

king of Israel,

² for gaining wisdom and discipline,

for comprehending words of insight,

³ and for receiving instruction in wise living

and in righteousness, justice, and equity.

⁴ To impart prudence to the simple

and knowledge and discretion to the young,

⁵ let the wise listen and gain instruction,

and the discerning acquire wise counsel

⁶ by understanding the proverbs and parables,

the sayings and riddles of the wise.

⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning^* of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

The Enticement of Sin

⁸ Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,

and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.

⁹ For they are a garland of grace on your head

and a pendant around your neck.

¹⁰ My son, if sinners entice you,

do not yield to them.

¹¹ If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood,

let us ambush the innocent without cause,

¹² let us swallow them alive like Sheol,

and whole^* like those descending into the Pit.

¹³ We will find all manner of precious goods;

we will fill our houses with plunder.^*

¹⁴ Throw in your lot^* with us;

let us all share one purse” —

¹⁵ my son, do not walk the road with them

or set foot upon their path.

¹⁶ For their feet run to evil,

and they are swift to shed blood.

¹⁷ How futile it is^* to spread the net

where any bird^* can see it!

¹⁸ But they lie in wait for their own blood;

they ambush^* their own lives.

¹⁹ Such is the fate of all who are greedy,

whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.

Wisdom Calls Aloud

²⁰ Wisdom calls out in the street,

she lifts her voice in the square;

²¹ in the main concourse she cries aloud,

at the city gates she makes her speech:

²² “How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways?

How long will scoffers delight in their scorn

and fools hate knowledge?

²³ If you had repented at my rebuke,

then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you;

I would have made my words known to you.

²⁴ Because you refused my call,

and no one took my outstretched hand,

²⁵ because you neglected all my counsel,

and wanted none of my correction,

²⁶ in turn I will mock your calamity;

I will sneer when terror strikes you,

²⁷ when your dread comes like a storm,

and your destruction like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish overwhelm you.

²⁸ Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;

they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.

²⁹ For they hated knowledge

and chose not to fear the LORD.

³⁰ They accepted none of my counsel;

they despised all my reproof.

³¹ So they will eat^* the fruit of their own way,

and be filled with their own devices.

³² For the waywardness of the simple will slay them,

and the complacency of fools will destroy them.

³³ But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety,

secure from the fear of evil.”