# Proverbs 1 
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1. The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: 
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2. To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, 
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3. to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; 
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4. to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— 
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5. Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, 
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6. to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. 
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7. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. 
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8. Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, 
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9. for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. 
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10. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. 
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11. If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; 
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12. like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; 
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13. we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; 
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14. throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse”— 
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15. my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, 
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16. for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. 
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17. For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, 
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18. but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. 
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19. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors. 
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20. Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; 
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21. at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: 
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22. “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? 
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23. If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. 
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24. Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, 
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25. because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, 
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26. I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, 
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27. when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. 
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28. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. 
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29. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, 
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30. would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, 
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31. therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. 
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32. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; 
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33. but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” 

(ESV)