The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and [there is] good understanding to all that practice it: and godliness toward God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will nullify wisdom and instruction.

So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and have become subject to reproofs.

For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord:

neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs.

A fool scorns his father's instruction, but he that keeps his commandments is more prudent. In abounding righteousness is great strength, but the ungodly shall utterly perish from the earth.

Seeing you have hated instruction, and have cast My words behind [you].

But I [was] vile and knew not: I became brutish before You.

But they refused to attend, and madly turned their back, and made their ears heavy, so that they should not hear.

Therefore it came to pass, [that] as He spoke and they did not listen, so they shall cry, and I will not listen, says the Lord Almighty.

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness more than the light, because their works were evil.

For everyone that does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works be exposed.

but you disdained my counsels, and disregarded my reproofs;

For the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light; a way of life; reproof also and correction:

He that loves instruction loves sense, but he that hates reproofs is a fool.

Instruction removes poverty and disgrace, but he that attends to reproofs shall be honored.

And they said to him, Stand back! You came here to sojourn, was it also to judge? Now then we would harm you more than them. And they pressed hard on the man, even Lot, and they drew near to break down the door.

And having gone out the second day, he saw two Hebrew men fighting; and he said to the injurer, Why do you strike your neighbor?

And he said, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Will you slay me as you slew the Egyptian yesterday? Then Moses was alarmed, and said, If [it be] thus, this matter has become known.

And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood up above the people and said, Thus says the Lord: Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord? So shall you not prosper; for you have forsaken the Lord, and He will forsake you.

So Joash remembered not the kindness which his father Jehoiada had exercised towards him, but killed his son. And as he died, he said, The Lord look upon [it], and judge.

And it came to pass when the prophet was speaking to him, that he said to him, Have I made you the king's counselor? Take heed lest you be scourged! And the prophet became silent, and said, I know that [God] is disposed against you to destroy you, because you have done this thing, and have not hearkened to my counsel.

And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they hearkened not.

And the Lord brought upon them the captains of the armies of the king of Assyria, and they took Manasseh in bonds, and bound him in fetters, and brought him to Babylon.

Nevertheless they sneered at His messengers, and despised His words, and mocked His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose up against His people, till there was no remedy.

Yet I sent to you My servants the prophets early in the morning; and I sent, saying, Do not do this abominable thing which I hate.

And be not as your fathers, whom the prophets before charged, saying, Thus says the Lord Almighty: Turn from your evil ways, and from your evil practices: but they did not hear, nor heed Me, says the Lord.

But do you receive My words and My ordinances, all that I command by My Spirit to My servants the prophets, who lived in the days of your fathers? And they answered and said, As the Lord Almighty determined to do to us, according to our ways, and according to our practices, so has He done to us.