Proverbs

¹ David's son, Israel's king—

² to understand what life means and where it's going;

³ for learning what's right and just and fair;

⁴ and give our young people a grasp on reality.

⁵ There's something here also for seasoned men and women,

⁶ Fresh wisdom to probe and penetrate, the rhymes and reasons of wise men and women.

⁷ only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.

⁸ never forget what you learned at your mother's knee.

⁹ like rings on your fingers.

¹⁰ don't go along with them.

¹¹ Let's beat up some old man, mug some old woman.

¹² and get them ready for their funerals.

¹³ We'll haul it home by the truckload.

¹⁴ With us, it's share and share alike!"—

¹⁵ don't listen to them for a minute.

¹⁶ hurrying to ruin everything they lay hands on.

¹⁷ with everyone watching,

¹⁸ they're doing themselves in.

¹⁹ the more you get, the less you are.

²⁰ At the town center she makes her speech.

²¹ At the busiest corner she calls out:

²² Cynics! How long will you feed your cynicism? Idiots! How long will you refuse to learn?

²³ Look, I'm ready to pour out my spirit on you; I'm ready to tell you all I know.

²⁴ I've reached out to you, but you've ignored me.

²⁵ and make a joke of my advice,

²⁶ I'll turn the tables and joke about your troubles!

²⁷ and your whole life goes to pieces? What if catastrophe strikes and there's nothing to show for your life but rubble and ashes?

²⁸ No matter how hard you look, you won't find me.

²⁹ and had nothing to do with the Fear-of-God,

³⁰ and brushed aside all my offers to train you,

³¹ you wanted your own way—now, how do you like it?

³² Carelessness kills; complacency is murder.

³³ Now you can take it easy—you're in good hands."