Proverbs:1

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* The proverbs of Solomon , the son of David , king of Israel : * That one may learn wisdom and instruction , And receive words of understanding ; * That one may gain the instruction of prudence , Justice , equity , and uprightness ; * Which will give caution to the simple , To the young man wisdom and discretion ; * Let the wise man hear , and he will increase his knowledge , And the man of understanding will gain wise counsels ; * So as to understand a proverb and a deep maxim , The words of the wise and their dark sayings . * The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge ; Fools despise wisdom and instruction . * Hear , O my son ! the instruction of thy father , And neglect not the teaching of thy mother ! * For they shall be a graceful wreath for thy head , And a chain around thy neck . * My son , if sinners entice thee , Consent thou not ! * If they say , "Come with us , Let us lie in wait for blood , Let us lurk secretly for him who is innocent in vain ; * Let us swallow them up alive , like the underworld , Yea , in full health , as those that go down into the pit ; * We shall find all kinds of precious substance , We shall fill our houses with spoil ; * Thou shalt cast thy lot among us ; We will all have one purse ;"–– * My son , walk thou not in their way , Refrain thy foot from their path ! * For their feet run to evil , And make haste to shed blood . * For as the net is spread in vain Before the eyes of any bird , * So they lie in wait for their own blood ; They lurk secretly for their own lives . * Such are the ways of every one greedy of unjust gain ; It taketh away the life of the possessor thereof . * Wisdom crieth out in the highway ; In the market –place she uttereth her voice ; * At the head of the noisy streets she crieth aloud ; At the entrances of the gates , throughout the city , she proclaimeth her words : * How long , ye simple ones , will ye love simplicity ? How long will scoffers delight themselves in scoffing , And fools hate knowledge ? * Turn ye at my reproof ! Behold , I will pour out my spirit to you ; I will make known my words to you ! * "Because I have called , and ye have refused ,––Because I have stretched out my hand , and no one hath regarded . * Because ye have rejected all my counsel , And have slighted my rebuke ,–– * I also will laugh at your calamity , I will mock when your fear cometh ; * When your fear cometh upon you like a storm . And destruction overtaketh you like a whirlwind , When distress and anguish come upon you . * Then will they call upon me , but I will not answer ! They will seek me early , But they shall not find me ! * Because they have hated knowledge , And have not chosen the fear of the LORD ,–– * Because they would not attend to my counsel , And have despised all my reproof ,–– * Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way , And be filled to the full with their own devices ; * Yea , the turning away of the simple shall slay them , And the carelessness of fools shall destroy them . * But whoso hearkeneth to me shall dwell securely , And shall not be disquieted with the fear of evil ."

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