Proverbs (Sentences), 1

[1] The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, •

[2] To know wisdom, and instruction: •

[3] To understand the words of prudence: and to receive the instruction of doctrine, justice, and judgment, and equity:

[4] To give subtilty to little ones, to the young man knowledge and understanding. •

[5] A wise man shall hear, and shall be wiser: and he that understandeth shall possess governments. •

[6] He shall understand a parable and the interpretation, the words of the wise, and their mysterious sayings. •

[7] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. •

[8] My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: •

[9] That grace may be added to thy head, and a chain of gold to thy neck. •

[10] My son, if sinners shall entice thee, consent not to them. •

[11] If they shall say: Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide snares for the innocent without cause: •

[12] Let us swallow him up alive like hell, and whole as one that goeth down into the pit. •

[13] We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoils.

[14] Cast in thy lot with us, let us all have one purse.

[15] My son, walk not thou with them, restrain thy foot from their paths.

[16] For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. •

[17] But a net is spread in vain before the eyes of them that have wings. •

[18] And they themselves lie in wait for their own blood, and practise deceits against their own souls.

[19] So the ways of every covetous man destroy the souls of the possessors. •

[20] Wisdom preacheth abroad, she uttereth her voice in the streets: •

[21] At the head of multitudes she crieth out, in the entrance of the gates of the city she uttereth her words, saying:

[22] O children, how long will you love childishness, and fools covet those things which are hurtful to themselves, and the unwise hate knowledge? •

[23] Turn ye at my reproof: behold I will utter my spirit to you, and will shew you my words.

[24] Because I called, and you refused: I stretched out my hand, and there was none that regarded. •

[25] You have despised all my counsel, and have neglected my reprehensions.

[26] I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that shall come to you which you feared. •

[27] When sudden calamity shall fall on you, and destruction, as a tempest, shall be at hand: when tribulation and distress shall come upon you:

[28] Then shall they call upon me, and I will not hear: they shall rise in the morning, and shall not find me: •

[29] Because they have hated instruction, and received not the fear of the Lord,

[30] Nor consented to my counsel, but despised all my reproof. •

[31] Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and shall be filled with their own devices. •

[32] The turning away of little ones shall kill them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. •

[33] But he that shall hear me, shall rest without terror, and shall enjoy abundance, without fear of evils. •