Study Desk

The ^(a)proverbs of Solomon ^(b)the son of David, king of Israel:

To know ^(c)wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of ^(d)understanding,

To ^(e)receive instruction in wise behavior, ^(f)Righteousness, justice and equity;

To give ^(g)prudence to the ^[a]naive, To the youth ^(h)knowledge and discretion,

A wise man will hear and ⁽ⁱ⁾increase in learning, And a ^(j)man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their ^(k)riddles.

^(l)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

^(m)Hear, my son, your father's instruction And ⁽ⁿ⁾do not forsake your mother's teaching;

Indeed, they are a ^(o)graceful wreath to your head And ^[b](p)ornaments about your neck.

My son, if sinners ^(q)entice you, ^(r)Do not consent.

If they say, "Come with us, Let us ^(s)lie in wait for blood, Let us ^(t)ambush the innocent without cause;

Let us ^(u)swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who ^(v)go down to the pit;

We will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with spoil;

Throw in your lot ^[c]with us, We shall all have one purse,"

My son, ^(w)do not walk in the way with them. ^(x)Keep your feet from their path,

For ^(y)their feet run to evil And they hasten to shed blood.

Indeed, it is ^[d]useless to spread the baited net In the sight of any ^[e]bird;

But they ^(z)lie in wait for their own blood; They ambush their own lives.

So are the ways of everyone who ^(aa)gains by violence; It takes away the life of its possessors.

^(ab)Wisdom shouts in the street, She ^[f]lifts her voice in the square;

At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:

"How long, O ^[g](ac)naive ones, will you love ^[h]being simple-minded? And ^(ad)scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools ^(ae)hate knowledge?

"Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will ^(af)pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.

"Because ^(ag)I called and you ^(ah)refused, I ^(ai)stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;

And you ^(aj)neglected all my counsel And did not ^(ak)want my reproof;

I will also ^(al)laugh at your ^(am)calamity; I will mock when your ^(an)dread comes,

When your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a ^(ao)whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.

"Then they will ^(ap)call on me, but I will not answer; They will ^(aq)seek me diligently but they will not find me,

Because they ^(ar)hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord .

"They ^(as)would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof.

"So they shall ^(at)eat of the fruit of their own way And be ^(au)satiated with their own devices.

"For the ^(av)waywardness of the ^[i]naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them.

"But ^(aw)he who listens to me shall ^[j]live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil."

My son, if you will ^(a)receive my words And ^(b)treasure my commandments within you,

^(c)Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding;

For if you cry for discernment, ^[a]Lift your voice for understanding;

If you seek her as ^(d)silver And search for her as for ^(e)hidden treasures;

Then you will discern the ^(f)fear of the Lord And discover the knowledge of God.

For ^(g)the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a ^(h)shield to those who walk in integrity,

Guarding the paths of justice, And He ⁽ⁱ⁾preserves the way of His godly ones.

Then you will discern ^(j)righteousness and justice And equity and every ^(k)good course.