The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: For learning what wisdom and discipline are; for understanding insightful sayings; for receiving wise instruction on uprightness, justice and integrity; for teaching shrewdness to the silly, knowledge and discretion to a young man – a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance; and for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise and their riddles.

THE fear of the Self-existent is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and don’t reject your mother’s teaching;

they will be a garland of grace on your head and a gold chain around your neck.

My son, if sinners entice you, don’t be persuaded.

If they say – “Come with us! Let’s set an ambush and kill someone. Let’s lay wait for some innocent persons for fun!

Let’s swallow them alive like hades, still healthy as they go down to the pit.

We’ll find substance and fill our houses with plunder.

Throw in your lot with us and we’ll all share our money” –

my son, don’t travel that road with them or set foot on their path,

because their feet run toward evil and they hurry to commit murder.

Certainly, setting a trap for any bird that is watching one is an exercise in futility.

So, the ambush they set is to kill themselves; they are laying wait for their own lives.

That is what all who pursue gain dishonestly - those who take the lives of others – are doing.

Wisdom [the Self-existent - the Holy Spirit] calls out in the street; He raises His voice in public squares.

He cries out on top of the walls; He speaks at the entrance of the city gates:

“How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance? _⎣How long_⎦ will _⎣you_⎦ mockers enjoy mocking and _⎣you_⎦ fools hate knowledge?

If you respond to My warning,  I [Wisdom - the Self-existent, the Holy Spirit] will pour out My spirit [unction] on you and teach you My words.

Having now called out and you refused, _⎣having now_⎦ extended My hand and no one paid attention -

since you neglected all My counsel and did not accept My correction –

I [Wisdom - the Self-existent, the Holy Spirit], in turn, will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when terror strikes you;

when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when trouble and stress overcome you.

Then you will call Me, but I won’t answer; you will search for Me, but you won’t find Me.

Because you hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Self-existent,

you were not interested in My counsel and rejected all My correction -

you will suffer the consequence of your choice and be glutted with your own schemes.

The perverseness of the silly will kill them; the complacency of fools will destroy them,

but whoever listens to Me [Wisdom - the Self-existent, the Holy Spirit] will live securely and be free from the fear of danger.”