ESV Study Bible | English Standard Version

 2 To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
 3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in b righteousness, justice, and equity;
 4 to give prudence to c the simple,
knowledge and d discretion to the youth—
 5 Let the wise hear and e increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
 6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
f the words of the wise and their g riddles.

 7 h The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.

 8 i Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
and forsake not your mother's teaching,
 9 for they are j a graceful garland for your head
and k pendants for your neck.
10 My son, if sinners l entice you,
do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us, m let us lie in wait for blood;
n let us ambush the innocent without reason;
12 like Sheol let us o swallow them alive,
and whole, like p those who go down to the pit;
13 we shall find all precious goods,
we shall fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in your lot among us;
we will all have one purse”—
15 my son, q do not walk in the way with them;
r hold back your foot from their paths,
16 for s their feet run to evil,
and they make haste to shed blood.
17 t For in vain is a net spread
in the sight of any bird,
18 but these men u lie in wait for their own blood;
they u set an ambush for their own lives.
19 v Such are the ways of everyone who is w greedy for unjust gain;
x it takes away the life of its possessors.

20 y Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at z the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O a simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will b scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools c hate knowledge?
23 If you turn at my reproof, [1]
behold, I will d pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 e Because I have called and f you refused to listen,
have g stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have h ignored all my counsel
and i would have none of my reproof,
26 I also j will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when k terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like l a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 m Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they c hated knowledge
and n did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 h would have none of my counsel
and i despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat o the fruit of their way,
and have p their fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by q their turning away,
and r the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but s whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be t at ease, without dread of disaster.”