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Proverbs 1 (AMP)

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¹ THE PROVERBS (truths obscurely expressed, maxims, and parables) of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: ² That people may know skillful and godly Wisdom and instruction, discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight, ³ Receive instruction in wise dealing and the discipline of wise thoughtfulness, righteousness, justice, and integrity, ⁴ That prudence may be given to the simple, and knowledge, discretion, and discernment to the youth-- ⁵ The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel -- ⁶ That people may understand a proverb and a figure of speech or an enigma with its interpretation, and the words of the wise and their dark sayings or riddles. ⁷ The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge ; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline. ⁸ My son, hear the instruction of your father; reject not nor forsake the teaching of your mother. ⁹ For they are a chaplet (garland) of grace upon your head and chains and pendants for your neck. ¹⁰ My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. ¹¹ If they say, Come with us; let us lie in wait blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause ; ¹² Let us swallow them up alive as does Sheol (the place of the dead), and whole, as those who go down into the pit ; ¹³ We shall find and take all kinds of precious goods , we shall fill our houses with plunder; ¹⁴ Throw in your lot with us and be a sworn brother and comrade; let us all have one purse in common-- ¹⁵ My son, do not walk in the way with them; restrain your foot from their path; ¹⁶ For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. ¹⁷ For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird! ¹⁸ But they are lying in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. ¹⁹ So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain; such takes away the lives of its possessors. ²⁰ Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the markets; ²¹ She cries at the head of the noisy intersections ; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: ²² How long, O simple ones , will you love being simple? And the scoffers delight in scoffing and fools hate knowledge? ²³ If you will turn (repent) and give heed to my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you, I will make my words known to you. ²⁴ Because I have called and you have refused , have stretched out my hand and no man has heeded it, ²⁵ And you treated as nothing all my counsel and would accept none of my reproof, ²⁶ I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when the thing comes that shall cause you terror and panic-- ²⁷ When your panic comes as a storm and desolation and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. ²⁸ Then will they call upon me but I will not answer; they will seek me early and diligently but they will not find me. ²⁹ Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord, ³⁰ Would accept none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof, ³¹ Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices. ³² For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the careless ease of fools shall destroy them. ³³ But whoso hearkens to me shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil.