¹

Wisdom

The proverbs of Solomon son of David who reigned in Israel,

²to know wisdom and instruction; to comprehend also words of intelligence;

³to receive also the shifting and turning of words, and loosening enigmas; to comprehend also [²righteousness ¹true] and [²judgment ¹to straighten out],

⁴that he should give to the guileless astuteness, [³child ¹but ²to the young] perception, and also reflection.

⁵But of the ones for hearing, the wise will be wiser, and the intelligent [²guidance ¹shall acquire].

⁶He shall comprehend also a parable and a dark matter; sayings also of the wise, and enigmas.

⁷The beginning of wisdom is fear of the LORD, [³understanding ¹and ²good] to all the ones observing it. And piety to God is the beginning of perception. But wisdom and instruction the impious shall treat with contempt.

⁸Hear, O son, the laws of your father! and you should not thrust away the rules of your mother;

⁹[³a crown ¹for ⁴of favors ²you shall receive] for your head, and a collar of gold around your neck.

¹⁰O son, you should not have caused [³to wander you ²men ¹impious], nor should you consent.

¹¹If they should comfort you, saying, Come with us, partake in blood! for we should hide [⁴in ⁵the ground ²man ¹the just ³unjustly],

¹²and we should swallow him as Hades, while living, and lift his remembrance from the earth,

¹³the [²property ³of his ¹very costly] we should overtake, and we should fill [²houses ¹our] of spoils.

¹⁴ and [²your ³lot ¹throw] in with us, and [³money bag ²one ¹let there become] for us.

¹⁵You should not go in the ways with them. Turn aside your foot from their paths!

¹⁶ For their feet [²to ³evil ¹run], and are quick to pour out blood.

¹⁷[³are not ¹For ⁵wrongfully ⁴stretched out ²nets] for feathered birds.

¹⁸For they, the ones [²in murder ¹partaking], treasure up for themselves evils.

¹⁹These [²the ³ways ¹are] of all the ones completing the lawless things. For by impiety [²their own ³life ¹they remove].

²⁰Wisdom [²in ³the streets ¹sings praise]; and in the squares in open places she celebrates.

²¹[³upon ⁴the tops ¹And ⁵of the walls ²she proclaims]; and at the gates of the city courageously says,

²²As much time as the guileless have of the righteousness, they shall not be ashamed; but the fools [³insolence ¹being ²ones who crave], [²impious ¹having become], detest good sense,

²³and [²accountable ¹become] for reproofs. Behold, I will let go to you my breath's saying, and I will teach you by my word.

²⁴Since I called, and you did not obey; and I stretched out words, and you did not take heed;

²⁵but [⁴void ¹you made ²my ³counsels], and [³to my ⁴reproofs ¹you did not ²give heed];

²⁶accordingly I also [²your ³destruction ¹laugh at]; and I will rejoice when ever [²comes ³to you ¹ruin].

²⁷And when ever [²should arrive ³unto you ⁴suddenly ¹a tumult], and the undoing of yourself like a blast is at hand; or whenever [⁴should come upon ⁵you ¹affliction ²and ³assault];

²⁸that it will be whenever you should call upon me, even I shall not listen to you. [²shall seek ³me ¹Evil men], and will not find me;

²⁹for they detested wisdom, and the fear of the LORD they did not prefer;

³⁰nor wanted [²to my ¹to take heed] counsels; but they sneered at my reproofs.

³¹Accordingly they shall eat [³of their own ⁴way ¹the ²fruits], and [²with their own ³impiety ¹shall be filled].

³²For because they wronged the simple ones, they shall be slaughtered, and an inquisition [²the impious ¹shall destroy].

³³But the one hearing me shall encamp with hope, and shall be tranquil without fear from all evil.