Proverbs 1

¹The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel

²in order to know wisdom and discipline

³to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity

⁴so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents

⁵By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments

⁶He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas

⁷The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine

⁸Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother

⁹so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck

¹⁰My son, if sinners should entice you, do not consent to them

¹¹If they should say: “Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause

¹²Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit

¹³We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils

¹⁴Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all.

¹⁵My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths

¹⁶For their feet rush to evil, and they hurry to shed blood

¹⁷But a net is thrown in vain before the eyes of those who have wings

¹⁸Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls

¹⁹Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess

²⁰Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets

²¹She cries out at the head of crowds; at the entrance of the gates of the city, she offers her words, saying

²²“Little ones, how long will you choose to be childish, and how long will the foolish desire what is harmful to themselves, and how long will the imprudent hate knowledge

²³Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you

²⁴For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched

²⁵You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes

²⁶Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome you

²⁷When sudden calamity rushes upon you, and your demise advances like a tempest, when tribulation and anguish overcome you

²⁸then they will call to me, and I will not heed, they will arise in the morning, and not find me

²⁹For they held hatred for discipline, and they would not accept the fear of the Lord

³⁰they would not consent to my counsel, but they detracted from all of my corrections

³¹Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels

³²The loathing of the little ones shall destroy them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall perish them

³³But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils.