15. My son, don’t go on the path with them;keep your feet from their way,
16. because their feet run to evil;they hurry to spill blood.
17. It’s useless to cast a netin the sight of a bird.
18. But these sinners set up a deadly ambush;they lie in wait for their own lives.
19. These are the ways of all who seek unjust gain;it costs them their lives.
20. Wisdom shouts in the street;in the public square she raises her voice.
21. Above the noisy crowd, she calls out.At the entrances of the city gates, she has her say:
22. "How long will you clueless people love your naïveté, mockers hold their mocking dear,and fools hate knowledge?
23. You should respond when I correct you.Look, I’ll pour out my spirit on you.I’ll reveal my words to you.
24. I invited you, but you rejected me;I stretched out my hand to you,but you paid no attention.
25. You ignored all my advice,and you didn’t want me to correct you.
26. So I’ll laugh at your disaster;I’ll make fun of you when dread comes over you,
27. when terror hits you like a hurricane,and your disaster comes in like a tornado,when distress and oppression overcome you.
28. Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;they will seek me, but won’t find me
29. because they hated knowledgeand didn’t choose the fear of the Lord.
30. They didn’t want my advice;they rejected all my corrections.
31. They will eat from the fruit of their way,and they’ll be full of their own schemes.
32. The immature will die because they turn away;smugness will destroy fools.
33. Those who obey me will dwell securely,untroubled by the dread of harm."