| 1 | The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel, |
| 2 | in order to know wisdom and discipline, |
| 3 | to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity, |
| 4 | so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents. |
| 5 | By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments. |
| 6 | He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas. |
| 7 | The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine. |
| 8 | Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother, |
| 9 | so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck. |
| 10 | My son, if sinners should entice you, do not consent to them. |
| 11 | If they should say: "Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause. |
| 12 | Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit. |
| 13 | We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils. |
| 14 | Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all." |
| 15 | My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths. |
| 16 | For their feet rush to evil, and they hurry to shed blood. |
| 17 | But a net is thrown in vain before the eyes of those who have wings. |
| 18 | Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls. |
| 19 | Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess. |
| 20 | Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets. |
| 21 | She cries out at the head of crowds; at the entrance of the gates of the city, she offers her words, saying: |
| 22 | "Little ones, how long will you choose to be childish, and how long will the foolish desire what is harmful to themselves, and how long will the imprudent hate knowledge? |
| 23 | Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you. |
| 24 | For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched. |
| 25 | You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes. |
| 26 | Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome you. |
| 27 | When sudden calamity rushes upon you, and your demise advances like a tempest, when tribulation and anguish overcome you, |
| 28 | then they will call to me, and I will not heed, they will arise in the morning, and not find me. |
| 29 | For they held hatred for discipline, and they would not accept the fear of the Lord; |
| 30 | they would not consent to my counsel, but they detracted from all of my corrections. |
| 31 | Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels. |
| 32 | The loathing of the little ones shall destroy them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall perish them. |
| 33 | But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils." |
