1The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, King of Israel:
2For the knowledge of wisdom and correction, for discerning the sayings of intelligence;
3For receiving the correction of prudence, righteousness and justice, and equity;
4For giving To the simple shrewdness, To the young man, knowledge and discretion.
5A wise man, will hear, and will increase learning, and a, discreet man, wise counsels, will acquire,
6By gaining discernment of proverb, and satire, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7The reverence of Yahweh, is the beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and correction, the foolish have despised.
8Hear, my son, the correction of thy father, and do not reject the instruction of thy mother;
9For, a wreath of beauty, shall they be to thy head, and chains of ornament, to thy neck.
10My son, if sinners entice thee, do not consent.
11If they say—Come with us,—Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us watch in secret for him who is needlessly innocent;
12Let us engulf them, like hades, alive, While in health, like them who are going down to the pit;
13All costly substance, shall we find, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14Thy lot, shalt thou cast into our midst, One purse, shall there be, for us all.
15My son, do not walk in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path.
16For, their feet, to mischief, do run, and haste to the shedding of blood.
17Surely, in vain, is spread the net, in the sight of aught that hath wings!
18Yet, they, for their own blood, lie in wait, They watch in secret for their own life.
19Such are the ways of every one that graspeth with greed, The life of the owners thereof, it taketh away!
20Wisdom, in the open place, soundeth forth, in the broadways, she raiseth her voice;
21At the head of bustling streets, she crieth aloud,—at the openings of the gates in the city—her sayings, she doth utter:—
22How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and, scoffers, in scoffing, delight them? and, dullards, hate knowledge?
23Will ye turn, at my reproof? Lo! I will pour out to you my spirit, I will make known my words to you.
24Because I called, and ye refused, I stretched out my hand, and no one regarded;
25But ye dismissed all my counsel, and, to my rebuke, would not yield,
26I also, at your calamity, will laugh, I will mock, when cometh your dread;
27When cometh as a crashing your dread, and, your calamity, as a storm-wind, overtaketh, when there come upon you, distress and anguish.
28Then, will they call me, but I will not answer, they will seek me diligently, but shall not find me.
29Because they hated knowledge, and, the reverence of Yahweh, did not choose;
30Consented not to my counsel, disdained all my rebuke,
31Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and, with their own counsels, be filled.
32For, the turning away of the simple, will slay them,—and, the carelessness of dullards, will destroy them.
33Whereas, he that hearkeneth unto me, shall dwell safely, and be at rest, without dread of misfortune.