Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men

Baclayon Church altar

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction

    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

They are a garland to grace your head

    and a chain to adorn your neck.

My son, if sinful men entice you,

    do not give in to them.

If they say, “Come along with us;

    let’s lie in wait for innocent blood,

    let’s ambush some harmless soul;

let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,

    and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

we will get all sorts of valuable things

    and fill our houses with plunder;

cast lots with us;

    we will all share the loot”—

my son, do not go along with them,

    do not set foot on their paths;

for their feet rush into evil,

    they are swift to shed blood.

How useless to spread a net

    where every bird can see it!

These men lie in wait for their own blood;

    they ambush only themselves!

Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;

    it takes away the life of those who get it.

                                      Proverbs 1:8-19

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