1. The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2. For learning what wisdom and discipline are;for understanding insightful sayings;
3. for receiving wise instructionin righteousness, justice, and integrity;
4. for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man —
5. a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance —
6. for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles.
7. The fear of the Lordis the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8. Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,
9. for they will be a garland of grace on your headand a gold chain around your neck.
10. My son, if sinners entice you, don’t be persuaded.
11. If they say — “Come with us!Let’s set an ambush and kill someone. Let’s attack some innocent person just for fun!
12. Let’s swallow them alive, like Sheol,still healthy as they go down to the Pit.
13. We’ll find all kinds of valuable propertyand fill our houses with plunder.
14. Throw in your lot with us,and we’ll all share our money” —
15. my son, don’t travel that road with them or set foot on their path,
16. because their feet run toward troubleand they hurry to commit murder.
17. It is foolish to spread a netwhere any bird can see it,
18. but they set an ambush to kill themselves; they attack their own lives.