| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The proverbs of David's son Solomon, king of Israel. | 1The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: |
| 2These proverbs are for gaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; | 2For learning what wisdom and discipline are; for understanding insightful sayings; |
| 3for acquiring the discipline that produces wise behavior, righteousness, justice, and upright living; | 3for receiving wise instruction in righteousness, justice, and integrity; |
| 4for giving prudence to the naïve, and knowledge and discretion to the young. | 4for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man-- |
| 5Let the wise listen and increase their learning; let the person of understanding receive guidance | 5a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance-- |
| 6in understanding proverbs, clever sayings, words of the wise, and their riddles. | 6for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles. |
| 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. | 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. |
| 8My son, listen to your father's instruction, and do not let go of your mother's teaching. | 8Listen, my son, to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching, |
| 9They will be a graceful wreath for your head and a chain for your neck. | 9for they will be a garland of grace on your head and a gold chain around your neck. |
| 10My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. | 10My son, if sinners entice you, don't be persuaded. |
| 11If they say, "Come with us! Let's lie in wait for blood; let's ambush some innocent person for no reason at all. | 11If they say--"Come with us! Let's set an ambush and kill someone. Let's attack some innocent person just for fun! |
| 12Let's swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those who go down into the Pit. | 12Let's swallow them alive, like Sheol, still healthy as they go down to the Pit. |
| 13We'll find all kinds of valuable wealth, and we'll fill our houses with spoil. | 13We'll find all kinds of valuable property and fill our houses with plunder. |
| 14Throw your lot in with us, and all of us will have one purse." | 14Throw in your lot with us, and we'll all share our money"-- |
| 15My son, do not go along with them, and keep your feet away from their paths! | 15my son, don't travel that road with them or set foot on their path, |
| 16For they run toward evil; these enticers shed blood without hesitation. | 16because their feet run toward trouble and they hurry to commit murder. |
| 17Look, it is useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds, | 17It is foolish to spread a net where any bird can see it, |
| 18but these people lie in wait for their own blood. They ambush only themselves. | 18but they set an ambush to kill themselves; they attack their own lives. |
| 19Such is the way of all those who seek illicit gain— it takes away the lives of those who possess it. | 19Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly; it takes the lives of those who receive it. |
| 20Wisdom cries out in the street; she raises her voice in the public squares. | 20Wisdom calls out in the street; she raises her voice in the public squares. |
| 21She calls out at the busiest part of the noisy streets, and at the entrance to the gates of the city she utters her words: | 21She cries out above the commotion; she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:" |
| 22"You naïve ones, how long will you love naivete? And how long will scoffers delight in scoffing or fools hate knowledge?" | 22How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance? How long will you mockers enjoy mocking and you fools hate knowledge? |
| 23Return to my correction! Look, I will pour out my spirit on you, and I will make my words known to you. | 23If you respond to my warning, then I will pour out my spirit on you and teach you my words. |
| 24"Because I called out to you and you refused to respond— I appealed, but no one paid attention— | 24Since I called out and you refused, extended my hand and no one paid attention, |
| 25because you neglected all my advice and did not want my correction, | 25since you neglected all my counsel and did not accept my correction, |
| 26I will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when what you fear comes, | 26I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when terror strikes you, |
| 27when what you dread comes like a storm, and your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. | 27when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when trouble and stress overcome you. |
| 28"Then they will call out to me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. | 28Then they will call me, but I won't answer; they will search for me, but won't find me. |
| 29"Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD; | 29Because they hated knowledge, didn't choose to fear the LORD, |
| 30they did not want my advice, and they rejected all my correction. | 30were not interested in my counsel, and rejected all my correction, |
| 31They will eat the fruit of their way, and they will be filled with their own devices. | 31they will eat the fruit of their way and be glutted with their own schemes. |
| 32Indeed, the waywardness of the naïve will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. | 32For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. |
| 33"But the person who listens to me will live safely and will be secure from the fear of evil." | 33But whoever listens to me will live securely and be free from the fear of danger." |
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