8. Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
10. My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them.
11. If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12. let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13. we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder;
14. cast lots with us; we will all share the loot”—
15. my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths;
16. for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood.
17. How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it!
18. These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves!
19. Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it.
20. Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square;
21. on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech:
22. “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
23. Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings.
24. But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
25. since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke,
26. I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—