17 For in vain is the net spread out Before the eyes of any bird.

18 But they lie in wait for their own blood;

And place themselves in ambush for their own lives. 19 Such are the ways of all who are greedy of gain; Which seduceth the soul of him who is enslaved to it.* 20 Wisdom singeth† aloud in the street; In broad places she uttereth her voice:

21 On the top of high places she crieth; At the openings of the gates:

In the city her words are proclaimed,

22 How long, ye imprudent ones, will ye love indis

And profligates delight in profligacy?
And fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn

ye at my admonition :

Lo, I will pour upon you my Spirit,
I will make known to you my words.

24 Because I called, and ye refused,

I stretched out my hand, and there was no one listening;

* See Prov. xxix. 22; Eccles. x. 11. Addicted to anger, loquacity. (Hodgson.) + LXX. υμνείται.

See Prov. ix. 7; xxiv. 9; xv. 12. (Hodgson.)

25 And ye have put away

all

my counsel,

And my admonition ye did not choose:

26 I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your fear cometh.

27 When your fear cometh as a tempest, And your calamity as a whirlwind;

When anguish and distress come upon you;

28 Then shall they call on me, but I will not answer; They shall seek me early, but shall not find me.

29 Because they hated knowledge,

And the fear of Jehovah they did not choose:

30 They refused my counsel

They despised all my reproof.

31 And they shall eat of the fruit of their way, And with their own counsels they shall be satiated. 32 For the revolt of the inconsiderate shall slay them, And the security of fools shall destroy them.

33 But he that hearkeneth to me shall dwell in safety, And shall rest from the fear of evil.

CHAPTER II.

1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words,
And lay up my commands with thee;

2 To incline thine ear to wisdom,
And direct thy heart to discretion;
3 If thou cry aloud for understanding,
And lift up thy voice for discretion ;

4 If thou wilt seek her as silver,

And search for her as for hidden treasures;

5 Then thou shalt understand the fear of Jehovah, And find the knowledge of God.

6 For Jehovah will give wisdom:

From his mouth knowledge and understanding will proceed.

7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright:
A shield for those who walk in equity.

8 To protect the ways of the prudent,
And the road of his saints he will guard.
9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness,
Prudence, equity-every good path.

10 When wisdom shall enter into thy heart,
And knowledge shall be sweet to thy soul;

11 Prudence shall guard thee,

Understanding shall watch over thee:

12 To save thee from the evil way,

From the man who speaketh perverse things;

13 Who forsake the paths of uprightness, To go into the ways of darkness;

14 Who rejoice to do evil,

Who delight in the wiles of the wicked;

15 Whose ways are crooked,

And they are perverse in their paths:

16 To deliver thee from the foreign woman, From the harlot who softeneth her words;

17 Who forsaketh the companion of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of her God.

18 For her house leadeth down unto death, And her paths unto the dead.*

19 None that enter it return again,

Nor touch again the paths of the living.

20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the just.

רפאים *

21 For the upright shall dwell in the land,

And the sincere shall remain in it.

22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, And transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

CHAPTER III.

1 My son, forget not my law;

And let thy heart keep my commands :

2 For length of days, and years of life, and prosperity, They shall add to thee.

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee:

Bind them about thy neck;

Write them on the table of thy heart:

4 And thou shalt find favour and good understanding

In the eyes of God and of man.

5 Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart;

And lean not upon thy own understanding.

6 In all thy ways consult him,
And he will direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thy own eyes:
Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil.