The Beginning of Knowledge
(Proverbs 9:1–12)

1The prouerbes of Solomon the sonne of Dauid, kyng of Israel:

2To learne wisdome and instruction, & to perceaue the wordes of vnderstandyng,

3To receaue the instruction of wisdome, iustice, iudgement, and equitie:

4To geue wyt vnto the simple, and that the young men myght haue knowledge and vnderstandyng.

5The wise man wyll geue eare, and wyll come by more wisdome, and he that is endued with vnderstanding shal attayne vnto wise counsayles.

6To vnderstande a parable, and the interpretation therof, the wordes of the wise, and their darke speaches.

7The feare of the Lorde is the begynnyng of knowledge: but fooles dispise wisdome and instruction.

The Enticement of Sin

8My sonne, heare thy fathers doctrine, & forsake not the lawe of thy mother:

9For they shalbe an encrease of grace vnto thy head, and as a chayne about thy necke.

10My sonne, if sinners entice thee, consent not vnto them.

11If they say, come with vs, let vs lay wayte for blood, and lurke priuily for the innocent without a cause:

12Let vs swallowe them vp lyke the graue quicke and whole, as those that go downe into the pit:

13So shall we finde all maner of costly riches, and fill our houses with spoyles:

14Cast in thy lot among vs, and let vs all haue one purse.

15My sonne, walke not thou with them, refrayne thy foote from their wayes.

16For their feete runne to euyll, and are hasty to shed blood.

17But as in vayne, the nette is layde foorth before the birdes eyes:

18So these lay wayte for the blood of them, and lye priuily for their liues.

19Such are the wayes of euery one that is greedie of gayne, who taketh away the life of the owner therof.

Wisdom Calls Aloud

20Wisdome cryeth without, and putteth foorth her voyce in the streetes:

21She calleth before the congregation in the open gates, and sheweth her wordes through the citie, saying:

22O ye children, howe long wyll ye loue childishnesse? howe long wyll the scorners delite in scornyng, and the vnwise hate knowledge?

23O turne you at my correction: lo I wyll expresse my mynde vnto you, and make you vnderstande my wordes.

24Because I haue called, and ye refused, I haue stretched out my hande, and no man regarded:

25But all my counsels haue ye dispised, and set my correction at naught:

26Therfore wyll I also laugh at your destruction, and mocke you, when the thyng that ye feare commeth vpon you,

27Euen when the thyng that ye be afraide of falleth in sodenly like a storme, and your miserie lyke a tempest, yea when trouble and heauinesse commeth vpon you.

28Then shall they call vpon me, but I wyll not aunswere: they shall seeke me early, but they shall not finde me:

29And that because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the feare of the Lorde,

30They woulde none of my counsayle, but dispised all my correction.

31Therfore shall they eate of the fruite of their owne way, and be fylled with their owne inuentions.

32For the turnyng away of the vnwise shall slay them, and the prosperitie of fooles shall destroy them.

33But whoso hearkeneth vnto me, shal dwell safely, and be sure from any feare of euyll.