Study Desk

The Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

To know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;

to receive instruction in prudence, justice, and judgment, and uprightness;

to give sense to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man.

The wise hears and increases learning, and the understanding ones gets wise counsel,

to understand a proverb and an enigma; the words of the wise, and their acute sayings.

The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

My son, hear your father's instruction, and do not forsake the law of your mother;

for they shall be an ornament of grace to your head, and chains for your neck.

My son, if sinners lure you, do not be willing.

If they say, Walk with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us secretly lurk for the innocent without cause,

let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those who go down into the Pit,

we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder,

cast in your lot among us, one purse shall be to all of us.

My son, do not walk in the way with them! Hold back your foot from their path;

for their feet run to evil and they haste to shed blood.

For in vain the net is spread in the sight of every bird.

And they lie in wait for their own blood; they lurk secretly for their own souls.

So are the ways of everyone who gets unjust gain; it takes away its owner's soul.

Wisdom cries aloud outside; she gives her voice in the square;

she calls at the head of places of commotion; in the opening of the gates, in the city she utters her words:

Until when will you love to be simple, you simple ones? And will scorners desire scorn for themselves? And will fools hate knowledge?

Turn back at my warning; behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.

Because I called, and you refused; I stretch out a hand, and none inclines,

but you have ignored all my counsel, and you did not desire my warning.

I also will laugh in your calamity, I will mock when your dread comes;

when your dread comes like a storm; and your calamity arrives like a tempest, when distress and anguish come on you.

Then they shall call on me, and I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.

Instead they hated knowledge and chose not the fear of Jehovah.

They did not desire my counsel; they despised all my reproof,

and they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own lusts.

For the going astray of the simple kills them, and the ease of fools destroys them.

But he who listens to me shall live securely and shall be at ease from the dread of evil.