New American Standard Bible 1995 | New Living Translation |
1The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: | 1These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. |
2To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, | 2Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. |
3To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; | 3Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. |
4To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, | 4These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. |
5A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, | 5Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance |
6To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles. | 6by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles. |
7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. | 7Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. A Father’s Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom |
8Hear, my son, your father's instruction And do not forsake your mother's teaching; | 8My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. |
9Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck. | 9What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck. |
10My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. | 10My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! |
11If they say, "Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause; | 11They may say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent! |
12Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who go down to the pit; | 12Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave ; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death. |
13We will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with spoil; | 13Think of the great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take. |
14Throw in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse," | 14Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.” |
15My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path, | 15My child, don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths. |
16For their feet run to evil And they hasten to shed blood. | 16They rush to commit evil deeds. They hurry to commit murder. |
17Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net In the sight of any bird; | 17If a bird sees a trap being set, it knows to stay away. |
18But they lie in wait for their own blood; They ambush their own lives. | 18But these people set an ambush for themselves; they are trying to get themselves killed. |
19So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence; It takes away the life of its possessors. | 19Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life. Wisdom Shouts in the Streets |
20Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; | 20Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. |
21At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings: | 21She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate: |
22"How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge? | 22“How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge? |
23"Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. | 23Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise. |
24"Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; | 24“I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. |
25And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof; | 25You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. |
26I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, | 26So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you— |
27When your dread comes 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 engulfs you like a cyclone, and anguish and distress overwhelm you. |
28"Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me, | 28“When they cry for help, I will not answer. Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me. |
29Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD. | 29For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. |
30"They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof. | 30They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. |
31"So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices. | 31Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes. |
32"For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them. | 32For simpletons turn away from me—to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency. |
33"But he who listens to me shall live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil." | 33But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.” |
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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