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¹ The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: ² To perceive the words of understanding, ³ Justice, judgment, and equity; ⁴ To the young man knowledge and discretion— ⁵ And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, ⁶ The words of the wise and their riddles. ⁷ But fools despise wisdom and instruction. ⁸ And do not forsake the law of your mother; ⁹ And chains about your neck. ¹⁰ Do not consent. ¹¹ Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; ¹² And whole, like those who go down to the Pit; ¹³ We shall fill our houses with spoil; ¹⁴ Let us all have one purse”— ¹⁵ Keep your foot from their path; ¹⁶ And they make haste to shed blood. ¹⁷ In the sight of any bird; ¹⁸ They lurk secretly for their own lives. ¹⁹ It takes away the life of its owners. ²⁰ She raises her voice in the open squares. ²¹ She speaks her words: ²² And fools hate knowledge. ²³ I will make my words known to you. ²⁴ I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, ²⁵ And would have none of my rebuke, ²⁶ I will mock when your terror comes, ²⁷ When distress and anguish come upon you. ²⁸ They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. ²⁹ And did not choose the fear of the Lord, ³⁰ And despised my every rebuke. ³¹ And be filled to the full with their own fancies. ³² And the complacency of fools will destroy them; ³³ And will be secure, without fear of evil.”