Proverbs 1:8-2:12

English Standard Version

^8 (A)Hear, my son, your father's instruction,
    and forsake not your mother's teaching,
⁹ for they are ^(B)a graceful garland for your head
    and ^(C)pendants for your neck.
¹⁰ My son, if sinners ^(D)entice you,
    do not consent.
¹¹ If they say, “Come with us, ^(E)let us lie in wait for blood;
    ^(F)let us ambush the innocent without reason;
¹² like Sheol let us ^(G)swallow them alive,
    and whole, like ^(H)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, ^(I)do not walk in the way with them;
    ^(J)hold back your foot from their paths,
¹⁶ for ^(K)their feet run to evil,
    and they make haste to shed blood.
^17 (L)For in vain is a net spread
    in the sight of any bird,
¹⁸ but these men ^(M)lie in wait for their own blood;
    they ^(N)set an ambush for their own lives.
^19 (O)Such are the ways of everyone who is ^(P)greedy for unjust gain;
    ^(Q)it takes away the life of its possessors.

^20 (R)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 ^(S)the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
²² “How long, O ^(T)simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will ^(U)scoffers delight in their scoffing
    and fools ^(V)hate knowledge?
²³ If you turn at my reproof,^[a]
behold, I will ^(W)pour out my spirit to you;
    I will make my words known to you.
^24 (X)Because I have called and ^(Y)you refused to listen,
    have ^(Z)stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
²⁵ because you have ^(AA)ignored all my counsel
    and ^(AB)would have none of my reproof,
²⁶ I also ^(AC)will laugh at your calamity;
    I will mock when ^(AD)terror strikes you,
²⁷ when terror strikes you like ^(AE)a storm
    and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come upon you.
^28 (AF)Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
    they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
²⁹ Because they ^(AG)hated knowledge
    and ^(AH)did not choose the fear of the Lord,
^30 (AI)would have none of my counsel
    and ^(AJ)despised all my reproof,
³¹ therefore they shall eat ^(AK)the fruit of their way,
    and have ^(AL)their fill of their own devices.
³² For the simple are killed by ^(AM)their turning away,
    and ^(AN)the complacency of fools destroys them;
³³ but ^(AO)whoever listens to me will dwell secure
    and will be ^(AP)at ease, without dread of disaster.”

2 ^(AQ)My son, ^(AR)if you receive my words
    and treasure up my commandments with you,
² making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding;
³ yes, if you call out for insight
    and raise your voice ^(AS)for understanding,
⁴ if you seek it like ^(AT)silver
    and search for it as for ^(AU)hidden treasures,
⁵ then ^(AV)you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
⁶ For ^(AW)the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
⁷ he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is ^(AX)a shield to those who ^(AY)walk in integrity,
⁸ guarding the paths of justice
    and ^(AZ)watching over the way of his ^(BA)saints.
^9 (BB)Then you will understand ^(BC)righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path;
¹⁰ for wisdom will come into your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
^11 (BD)discretion will ^(BE)watch over you,
    understanding will guard you,
¹² delivering you from the way of evil,
    from men of perverted speech,