Wisdom is Calling! Will You Answer?
Proverbs 1: 1-21
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 For learning wisdom and discipline;
for understanding insightful sayings;
3 for receiving prudent instruction
in righteousness, justice, and integrity;
4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,,
knowledge and discretion to a young man—
5 let a wise person listen and increase learning,
and let a discerning person obtain guidance—
6 for understanding a proverb or a parable,
the words of the wise, and their riddles.
7 The fear of the LORD
is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and discipline.
AVOID THE PATH OF THE VIOLENT
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,
9 for they will be a garland of favor on your head
and pendants around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
don’t be persuaded.
11 If they say—“Come with us!
Let’s set an ambush and kill someone.
Let’s attack some innocent person just for fun!
12 Let’s swallow them alive, like Sheol,
whole, like those who go down to the Pit.
13 We’ll find all kinds of valuable property
and fill our houses with plunder.
14 Throw in your lot with us,
and we’ll all share the loot”—
15 my son, don’t travel that road with them
or set foot on their path,
16 because their feet run toward evil
and they hurry to shed blood.
17 It is useless to spread a net
where any bird can see it,
18 but they set an ambush to kill themselves;
they attack their own lives.
19 Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly;
it takes the lives of those who receive it.
WISDOM’S PLEA
20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she makes her voice heard in the public squares.
21 She cries out above the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates: