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¹ The proverbs of Solomon^(a) son of David, king of Israel:
² For learning what wisdom and discipline are;
for understanding insightful sayings;
³ for receiving wise instruction
in righteousness, justice, and integrity;^(b)
4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,^[a](c)
knowledge and discretion^(d) to a young man—
⁵ a wise man will listen and increase his learning,^(e)
and a discerning man will obtain guidance—
⁶ for understanding a proverb or a parable,^[b]
the words of the wise, and their riddles.^(f)

⁷ The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge;^(g)
fools despise wisdom and discipline.^(h)

⁸ Listen, my son, to your father's instruction,
and don't reject your mother's teaching,^(i)
9 for they will be a garland^(j) of grace on your head
and a gold chain around your neck.^(k)
10 My son, if sinners entice you,^(l)
don't be persuaded.^(m)
11 If they say—"Come with us!
Let's set an ambush⁽ⁿ⁾ and kill someone.^[c]
Let's attack some innocent person^(o) just for fun!^[d]
12 Let's swallow them alive,^(p) like Sheol,
still healthy as they go down to the Pit.^(q)
13 We'll find all kinds of valuable property
and fill our houses with plunder.^(r)
14 Throw in your lot with us,
and we'll all share our money"^[e]—
¹⁵ my son, don't travel that road with them^(s)
or set foot on their path,^(t)
16 because their feet run toward trouble
and they hurry to commit murder.^[f](u)
17 It is foolish to spread a net
where any bird can see it,
¹⁸ but they set an ambush to kill themselves;^[g]
they attack their own lives.
¹⁹ Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly;^(v)
it takes the lives of those who receive it.^[h]

²⁰ Wisdom calls out in the street;
she raises her voice in the public squares.^(w)
21 She cries out above^[i] the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
²² "How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers^(x) enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?^(y)
23 If you respond to my warning,^[j](z)
then I will pour out my spirit on you^(aa)
and teach you my words.
²⁴ Since I called out and you refused,^(ab)
extended my hand and no one paid attention,^(ac)
25 since you neglected all my counsel^(ad)
and did not accept my correction,
²⁶ I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.^(ae)
I will mock when terror strikes you,
²⁷ when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.
²⁸ Then they will call me, but I won't answer;
they will search for me, but won't find me.^(af)
29 Because they hated knowledge,
didn't choose to fear the Lord,^(ag)
30 were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,^(ah)
31 they will eat the fruit of their way^(ai)
and be glutted with their own schemes.^(aj)
32 For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them,^(ak)
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
³³ But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be free from the fear of danger."^(al)