The Beginning of Knowledge
1 1The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
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To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight,
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to receive instruction in wise dealing, in
2righteousness, justice, and equity;
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to give prudence to
3the simple, knowledge and
4discretion to the youth--
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Let the wise hear and
5increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,
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to understand a proverb and a saying,
6the words of the wise and their
7riddles.
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8The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Enticement of Sinners
8 9Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching,
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for they are
10a graceful garland for your head and
11pendants for your neck.
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My son, if sinners
12entice you, do not consent.
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If they say, "Come with us,
13let us lie in wait for blood;
14let us ambush the innocent without reason;
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like Sheol let us
15swallow them alive, and whole, like
16those who go down to the pit;
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we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder;
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throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse"--
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my son,
17do not walk in the way with them;
18hold back your foot from their paths,
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for
19their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
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20For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird,
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but these men
21lie in wait for their own blood; they
22set an ambush for their own lives.
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23Such are the ways of everyone who is
24greedy for unjust gain;
25it takes away the life of its possessors.
The Call of Wisdom
20 26Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice;
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at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at
27the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
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"How long, O
28simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will
29scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools
30hate knowledge?
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If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will
31pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.
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32Because I have called and
33you refused to listen, have
34stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
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because you have
35ignored all my counsel and
36would have none of my reproof,
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I also
37will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when
38terror strikes you,
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when terror strikes you like
39a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
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40Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
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Because they
41hated knowledge and
42did not choose the fear of the LORD,
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43would have none of my counsel and
44despised all my reproof,
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therefore they shall eat
45the fruit of their way, and have
46their fill of their own devices.
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For the simple are killed by
47their turning away, and
48the complacency of fools destroys them;
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but
49whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be
50at ease, without dread of disaster."