22  “How long, O ^asimple ones, will you love being simple?

How long will ^bscoffers delight in their scoffing

and fools ^chate knowledge?

32  For the simple are killed by ^qtheir turning away,

and ^rthe complacency of fools destroys them;

33  but ^swhoever listens to me will dwell secure

and will be ^tat ease, without dread of disaster.”

27  When he ^bestablished the heavens, I was there;

when he drew ^ca circle on the face of the deep,

28  when he ^dmade firm the skies above,

when he established¹ the fountains of the deep,

29  when he ^eassigned to the sea its ^flimit,

so that the waters might not transgress his command,

when he marked out ^gthe foundations of the earth,

30  then ^hI was beside him, like a master workman,

and I was daily his^{2 i}delight,

rejoicing before him always,

31  ^jrejoicing in his ^kinhabited world

and delighting in the children of man.

32  “And now, ^lO sons, listen to me:

^mblessed are those who keep my ways.

15  ^zThe simple believes everything,

but the prudent gives thought to his steps.

5  ^kA fool ^ldespises his father’s instruction,

but ^mwhoever heeds reproof is prudent.

25  There is a way that seems right to a man,

but its end is the way to death.¹

25  ^qStrike ^ra scoffer, and the simple will ^slearn prudence;

^treprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

24  ^f“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man

who acts with arrogant pride.