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¹The proverbs of Solomon Peaceable, Recompense, the son of David Beloved, king of Israel God prevails:

²to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;

³to receive instruction in wisdom, in righteousness, mishpat ·justice·, and equity;

⁴to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man:

⁵that the wise man may sh'ma ·hear obey·, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:

⁶to understand a proverb, and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.

⁷The fear of Adonai is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

⁸My son, sh'ma ·hear obey· your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching:

⁹for they will be a garland to chen ·grace· your head, and chains around your neck.

¹⁰My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.

¹¹If they say, “Come with us, Let’s lay in wait for blood; let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

¹²let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol ·Place of the dead·, and whole, like those who go down into the pit (of Abbadon, the unrighteous side of Sheol).

¹³We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.

¹⁴You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse.”

¹⁵My son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,

¹⁶for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.

¹⁷For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird:

¹⁸but these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.

¹⁹So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.

²⁰Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.

²¹She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:

²²“How long, you simple ones, will you 'ahav ·affectionately love· thoughtless living? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?

²³Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.

²⁴Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;

²⁵but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;

²⁶I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you;

²⁷when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come on you.

²⁸Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;

²⁹because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of Adonai .

³⁰They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.

³¹Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.

³²For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

³³But whoever sh'ma ·hears obeys· me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”