| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: | 1The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: |
| 2To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, | 2for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; |
| 3to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; | 3for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; |
| 4to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— | 4for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young-- |
| 5Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, | 5let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-- |
| 6to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. | 6for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. |
| 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. | 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. |
| 8Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, | 8Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. |
| 9for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. | 9They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. |
| 10My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. | 10My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. |
| 11If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; | 11If they say, "Come along with us; let's lie in wait for innocent blood, let's ambush some harmless soul; |
| 12like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; | 12let's swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; |
| 13we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; | 13we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; |
| 14throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse”— | 14cast lots with us; we will all share the loot"-- |
| 15my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, | 15my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; |
| 16for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. | 16for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood. |
| 17For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, | 17How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it! |
| 18but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. | 18These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves! |
| 19Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors. | 19Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it. |
| 20Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; | 20Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; |
| 21at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: | 21on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: |
| 22“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? | 22"How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? |
| 23If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. | 23Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. |
| 24Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, | 24But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, |
| 25because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, | 25since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, |
| 26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, | 26I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you-- |
| 27when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. | 27when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. |
| 28Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. | 28"Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, |
| 29Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, | 29since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD. |
| 30would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, | 30Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, |
| 31therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. | 31they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. |
| 32For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; | 32For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; |
| 33but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” | 33but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
|
