² for gaining wisdom and instruction;
    for understanding words of insight;
³ for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
    doing what is right and just and fair;
⁴ for giving prudence to those who are simple,^[a](D)
    knowledge and discretion^(E) to the young—
⁵ let the wise listen and add to their learning,^(F)
    and let the discerning get guidance—
⁶ for understanding proverbs and parables,^(G)
    the sayings and riddles^(H) of the wise.^[b](I)

⁷ The fear of the Lord^(J) is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools^[c] despise wisdom^(K) and instruction.^(L)

¹⁰ My son, if sinful men entice^(Q) you,
    do not give in^(R) to them.^(S)
11 If they say, “Come along with us;
    let’s lie in wait^(T) for innocent blood,
    let’s ambush some harmless soul;
¹² let’s swallow^(U) them alive, like the grave,
    and whole, like those who go down to the pit;^(V)
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
    and fill our houses with plunder;
¹⁴ cast lots with us;
    we will all share the loot^(W)”—
¹⁵ my son, do not go along with them,
    do not set foot^(X) on their paths;^(Y)
16 for their feet rush into evil,^(Z)
    they are swift to shed blood.^(AA)
17 How useless to spread a net
    where every bird can see it!
¹⁸ These men lie in wait^(AB) for their own blood;
    they ambush only themselves!^(AC)
19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
    it takes away the life of those who get it.^(AD)

²² “How long will you who are simple^(AF) love your simple ways?
    How long will mockers delight in mockery
    and fools hate^(AG) knowledge?
²³ Repent at my rebuke!
    Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
    I will make known to you my teachings.
²⁴ But since you refuse^(AH) to listen when I call^(AI)
    and no one pays attention^(AJ) when I stretch out my hand,
²⁵ since you disregard all my advice
    and do not accept my rebuke,
²⁶ I in turn will laugh^(AK) when disaster^(AL) strikes you;
    I will mock^(AM) when calamity overtakes you^(AN)—
²⁷ when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
    when disaster^(AO) sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
    when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

²⁸ “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;^(AP)
    they will look for me but will not find me,^(AQ)
29 since they hated knowledge
    and did not choose to fear the Lord.^(AR)
30 Since they would not accept my advice
    and spurned my rebuke,^(AS)
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
    and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.^(AT)
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
    and the complacency of fools will destroy them;^(AU)
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety^(AV)
    and be at ease, without fear of harm.”^(AW)

⁹ Then you will understand^(BH) what is right and just
    and fair—every good path.
¹⁰ For wisdom will enter your heart,^(BI)
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
¹¹ Discretion will protect you,
    and understanding will guard you.^(BJ)

¹² Wisdom will save^(BK) you from the ways of wicked men,
    from men whose words are perverse,
¹³ who have left the straight paths
    to walk in dark ways,^(BL)
14 who delight in doing wrong
    and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,^(BM)
15 whose paths are crooked^(BN)
    and who are devious in their ways.^(BO)

¹⁶ Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,^(BP)
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
¹⁷ who has left the partner of her youth
    and ignored the covenant she made before God.^[e](BQ)
18 Surely her house leads down to death
    and her paths to the spirits of the dead.^(BR)
19 None who go to her return
    or attain the paths of life.^(BS)

²⁰ Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
²¹ For the upright will live in the land,^(BT)
    and the blameless will remain in it;
²² but the wicked^(BU) will be cut off from the land,^(BV)
    and the unfaithful will be torn from it.^(BW)

A wise son brings joy to his father,^(C)
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

² Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,^(D)
    but righteousness delivers from death.^(E)

³ The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,^(F)
    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.^(G)

⁴ Lazy hands make for poverty,^(H)
    but diligent hands bring wealth.^(I)

⁵ He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
    but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.^(J)

⁶ Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.^[a](K)

⁷ The name of the righteous^(L) is used in blessings,^[b]
    but the name of the wicked^(M) will rot.^(N)

⁸ The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.^(O)

⁹ Whoever walks in integrity^(P) walks securely,^(Q)
    but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.^(R)

¹⁰ Whoever winks maliciously^(S) causes grief,
    and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,^(T)
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.^(U)

¹² Hatred stirs up conflict,
    but love covers over all wrongs.^(V)

¹³ Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,^(W)
    but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.^(X)

¹⁴ The wise store up knowledge,^(Y)
    but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.^(Z)

¹⁵ The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,^(AA)
    but poverty is the ruin of the poor.^(AB)

¹⁶ The wages of the righteous is life,^(AC)
    but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.^(AD)

¹⁷ Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,^(AE)
    but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

¹⁸ Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips^(AF)
    and spreads slander is a fool.

¹⁹ Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
    but the prudent hold their tongues.^(AG)

²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
    but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

²¹ The lips of the righteous nourish many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.^(AH)

²² The blessing of the Lord^(AI) brings wealth,^(AJ)
    without painful toil for it.^(AK)

²³ A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,^(AL)
    but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

²⁴ What the wicked dread^(AM) will overtake them;^(AN)
    what the righteous desire will be granted.^(AO)

²⁵ When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
    but the righteous stand firm^(AP) forever.^(AQ)

²⁶ As vinegar to the teeth and smoke^(AR) to the eyes,
    so are sluggards to those who send them.^(AS)

²⁷ The fear of the Lord adds length to life,^(AT)
    but the years of the wicked are cut short.^(AU)

²⁸ The prospect of the righteous is joy,
    but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.^(AV)

²⁹ The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,
    but it is the ruin of those who do evil.^(AW)

³⁰ The righteous will never be uprooted,
    but the wicked will not remain in the land.^(AX)

³¹ From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,^(AY)
    but a perverse tongue^(AZ) will be silenced.

³² The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,^(BA)
    but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.^(BB)