1The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel;
2To know wisdom and instruction; to understand the words of understanding;
3To receive the instruction of prudence, righteousness and judgment (mishpat) and equity;
4To give prudence to the simple, to the youth knowledge and discretion;
5Let the wise hear and increase learning, and the discerning acquire wise counsels;
6To understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles.
7The fear of YHWH is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the Torah of your mother;
9For they are a garland of grace to your head, and chains for your neck.
10My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
11If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us lurk for the innocent without cause;
12Let us swallow them like Sheol alive (chai), and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13All precious wealth we will find, we will fill our houses with spoil;
14Cast your lot in our midst; one purse will be for us all"—
15My son, do not walk in the way with them; keep back your foot from their path;
16For their feet run to evil, and they hasten to shed blood.
17For in vain the net is spread in the eyes of any bird;
18And these lie in wait for their own blood; they lurk for their own souls (nephesh).
19So are the paths of everyone greedy for gain; it takes the soul (nephesh) of its owners.
20Wisdom cries aloud outside; in the broad places she gives her voice;
21At the head of the noisy streets she calls; at the entrances of the gates, in the city, she speaks her words:
22"How long, O simple ones, will you love simplicity? And the scoffers delight in scoffing for themselves, and fools hate knowledge?
23Turn at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit (ruach) to you, I will make known my words to you.
24Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention,
25And you neglected all my counsel, and did not want my reproof;
26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes;
27When your dread comes like a storm, and your calamity arrives like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
28Then they will call me, but I will not answer; they will seek me earnestly, but they will not find me.
29Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of YHWH;
30They did not want my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
31And they will eat of the fruit of their way, and be filled with their own devices.
32For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33But one who listens to me will dwell securely, and be at ease from the dread of evil."