Beginning
1 The Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, King of Israel:
2 to know wisdom and instruction; to understand the words of knowledge;
3 to receive instruction; to do wisely by justice and judgment and equity;
4 to give sharpness of wit to the simple, and knowledge and discretion to the child.
5 And a wise man shall hear and increase in learning. And a man of understanding shall attain to wise counsels;
6 to understand a parable and the interpretation, the words of the wise and their dark sayings.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9 For they shall be a comely ornament for your head, and as chains for your neck.
10 My son, if the wicked entice you, do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us. We will lay in wait for blood, and lie secretly for the innocent, without a cause.
12 “We will swallow them up alive like a grave, even whole, as those who go down into the pit.
13 “We shall find all precious riches. And fill our houses with spoil:
14 “Cast in your lot among us. And we will all have one purse.”
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from their path.
16 For their feet run to evil and hurry to shed blood.
17 Certainly, as without cause, the net is spread before the eyes of all who have wing.
18 So they lay in wait for blood and lie secretly for their lives.
19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. He would take away the life of the owners thereof.
20 Wisdom cries outside. She utters her voice in the streets.
21 She calls in the high street, among the praise in the enterings of the gates, and utters her words in the city, saying,
22 “O you foolish! How long will you love foolishness, and the scornful take their pleasure in scorning, and the fools hate knowledge?
23 “Turn at my correction! Lo, I will pour out my mind to you, and make you understand my words!
24 “Because I have called, and you refused. I have stretched out my hand, and none would regard.
25 “But you have despised all my counsel. And would have none of my correction.
26 “I will also laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear comes,
27 “when your fear comes like sudden desolation. And your destruction shall come like a whirlwind when affliction and anguish shall come upon you.
28 “Then shall they call upon me. But I will not answer. They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.
29 “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD.
30 “They would have none of my counsel; but despised all my correction.
31 “Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way; and be filled with their own devices.
32 “For ease slays the foolish, and the prosperity of fools destroys them.
33 But he who obeys me, shall dwell safely, and be quiet from fear of evil.
2 My son, if you will receive my words, and hide my commandments within you,
2 and cause your ears to listen to wisdom, and incline your heart to understanding,
3 (for if you call after knowledge, and cry for understanding;
4 if you seek her as silver and search for her as for treasures,
5 then you shall understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom. Out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
7 He preserves the state of the righteous. He is a shield to those who walk uprightly,
8 that they may keep the ways of judgment. And He preserves the way of His saints)
9 then you shall understand righteousness and judgment, and equity, and every good path.
10 When wisdom enters into your heart, and knowledge delights your soul,
11 then shall counsel preserve you. And understanding shall keep you,
12 and deliver you from the evil way; and from the man who speaks crooked things;
13 and from those who leave the ways of righteousness to walk in the ways of darkness;
14 who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 whose ways are crooked. And they are lewd in their paths.
16 And it shall deliver you from the strange woman; from the stranger who flatters with her words;
17 who forsakes the guide of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God.
18 Surely her house tends to death, and her paths to the dead.
19 All those who go to her, do not return again. Nor do they take hold of the ways of life.
20 Therefore, walk in the way of the good. And keep the ways of the righteous.
21 For the just shall dwell in the land. And the upright shall remain in it.
22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the Earth. And the transgressor shall be rooted out of it.
3 My son, do not forget my Law. But let your heart keep my commandments.
2 For they shall increase the length of your days and the years of life, and your peace.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you. Bind them on your neck and write them upon the tablet of your heart.
4 So shall you find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart. And lean not to your own wisdom.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your ways.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes. But fear the LORD and depart from evil.
8 So, health shall be to your core, and marrow to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your riches, and with the firstfruits of all your increase.
10 So shall your barns be filled with abundance. And your presses shall burst with new wine.
11 My son, do not refuse the chastening of the LORD, nor be grieved with His correction.
12 For the LORD corrects him whom He loves, even as the father does the child in whom he delights.
13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding.
14 For the merchandise thereof is better than the merchandise of silver. And the gain thereof is better than gold.
15 It is more precious than pearls. And all things that you can desire are not to be compared to her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her right hand, riches and glory.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasure; and all her paths, peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. And blessed is he who retains her.
19 The LORD, by wisdom, has laid the foundation of the Earth, and has established the heavens through understanding.
20 By His knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, do not let these things depart from your eyes, but observe wisdom and counsel.
22 So they shall be life to your soul, and grace to your neck.
23 Then shall you walk safely by the way. And your foot shall not stumble.
24 If you sleep, you shall not be afraid. And when you sleep, your sleep shall be sweet.
25 You shall not fear for any sudden fear, nor for destruction by the wicked, when it comes.
26 For the LORD shall be for your assurance and shall keep your foot from capture.
27 Do not withhold the good from the owners thereof, though there be power in your hand to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go and come again, and tomorrow I will give you,” if you have it now.
29 Intend no hurt against your neighbor, seeing he dwells by you without fear.
30 Do not strive with someone without cause (when he has done you no harm).
31 Do not be envious of the wicked man, nor choose any of his ways.
32 For the crooked is abomination to the LORD. But His secret is with the righteous.
33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked. But He blesses the habitation of the righteous.
34 With the scornful He scorns. But He gives grace to the humble.
35 The wise shall inherit glory; but fools, dishonor (though they be exalted).
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