7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and there is good understanding to all that practise it: and piety towards God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will set at nothing wisdom and instruction.
8Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, and reject not the rules of your mother.
9For you shall receive for your head a crown of graces, and a chain of gold round your neck.
10My son, let not ungodly men lead you astray, neither consent you to them.
11If they should exhort you, saying, Come with us, partake in blood, and let us unjustly hide the just man in the earth:
12and let us swallow him alive, as Hades would, and remove the memorial of him from the earth:
13let us seize on his valuable property, and let us fill our houses with spoils:
14but do you cast in your lot with us, and let us all provide a common purse, and let us have one pouch:
15go not in the way with them, but turn aside your foot from their paths:
16For their feet run to do evil, and are swift to shed blood.
17for nets are not without cause spread for birds.
18For they that are concerned in murder store up evils for themselves; and the overthrow of transgressors is evil.
19These are the ways of all that perform lawless deeds; for by ungodliness they destroy their own life.
20Wisdom sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly.
21And she makes proclamation on the top of the walls, and sits by the gates of princes; and at the gates of the city boldly says,
22So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and are become subject to reproofs.
23Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech.
24Since I called, and you° did not listen; and I spoke at length, and you° gave no heed;