⁷ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
⁸ My son, hear the instruction of thy father,
and forsake not the law of thy mother:
⁹ for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head,
and chains about thy neck.

2 My son, if thou wilt receive my words,
and hide my commandments with thee;
² so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom,
and apply thine heart to understanding;
³ yea, if thou criest after knowledge,
and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
⁴ if thou seekest her as silver,
and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
⁵ then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord,
and find the knowledge of God.
⁶ For the Lord giveth wisdom:
out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

² When pride cometh, then cometh shame:
    but with the lowly is wisdom.

¹⁵ The way of a fool is right in his own eyes:
    but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

13 A wise son heareth his father’s instruction:
    but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

¹⁰ Only by pride cometh contention:
    but with the well advised is wisdom.

²⁰ He that walketh with wise men shall be wise:
    but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

⁶ A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not:
    but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.

⁷ Go from the presence of a foolish man,
    when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.

⁸ The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way:
    but the folly of fools is deceit.

¹⁸ The simple inherit folly:
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.