Proverbs 1:1-33 NET

[1] The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: [2] To learn wisdom and moral instruction, to discern wise counsel. [3] To receive moral instruction in skillful living, with righteousness, justice, and equity. [4] To impart shrewdness to the morally naive, a discerning plan to the young person. [5] (Let the wise also hear and gain instruction, and let the discerning acquire guidance! ) [6] To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable, the sayings of the wise and their riddles. [7] Fearing the LORD is the beginning of discernment, but fools have despised wisdom and moral instruction. [8] Listen, my child, to the instruction from your father, and do not forsake the teaching from your mother. [9] For they will be like an elegant garland on your head, and like pendants around your neck. [10] My child, if sinners try to entice you, do not consent! [11] If they say, "Come with us! We will lie in wait to shed blood; we will ambush an innocent person capriciously. [12] We will swallow them alive like Sheol, those full of vigor like those going down to the Pit. [13] We will seize all kinds of precious wealth; we will fill our houses with plunder. [14] Join with us! We will all share equally in what we steal." [15] My child, do not go down their way, withhold yourself from their path; [16] for they are eager to inflict harm, and they hasten to shed blood. [17] Surely it is futile to spread a net in plain sight of any bird, [18] but these men lie in wait for their own blood, they ambush their own lives! [19] Such are the ways of all who gain profit unjustly; it takes away the life of those who obtain it! [20] Wisdom calls out in the street, she shouts loudly in the plazas; [21] at the head of the noisy streets she calls, in the entrances of the gates in the city she utters her words: [22] "How long will you simpletons love naiveté? How long have mockers delighted in mockery? And how long will fools hate knowledge? [23] You should respond to my rebuke. Then I would pour out my thoughts to you; I would make my words known to you. [24] However, because I called but you refused to listen, because I stretched out my hand but no one was paying attention, [25] and you neglected all my advice, and did not comply with my rebuke, [26] so I myself will laugh when disaster strikes you, I will mock when what you dread comes, [27] when what you dread comes like a whirlwind, and disaster strikes you like a devastating storm, when distressing trouble comes on you. [28] Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me. [29] Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the LORD, [30] they did not comply with my advice, they spurned all my rebuke. [31] Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel. [32] For the waywardness of the simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them. [33] But the one who listens to me will live in security, and will be at ease from the dread of harm."