| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: | 1The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: |
| 2To learn wisdom and moral instruction, and to discern wise counsel. | 2For learning what wisdom and discipline are; for understanding insightful sayings; |
| 3To receive moral instruction in skillful living, in righteousness, justice, and equity. | 3for receiving wise instruction in righteousness, justice, and integrity; |
| 4To impart shrewdness to the morally naive, and a discerning plan to the young person. | 4for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man-- |
| 5(Let the wise also hear and gain instruction, and let the discerning acquire guidance!) | 5a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance-- |
| 6To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable, the sayings of the wise and their riddles. | 6for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles. |
| 7Fearing the LORD is the beginning of moral knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. | 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. |
| 8Listen, my child, to the instruction from your father, and do not forsake the teaching from your mother. | 8Listen, my son, to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching, |
| 9For they will be like an elegant garland on your head, and like pendants around your neck. | 9for they will be a garland of grace on your head and a gold chain around your neck. |
| 10My child, if sinners try to entice you, do not consent! | 10My son, if sinners entice you, don't be persuaded. |
| 11If they say, "Come with us! We will lie in wait to shed blood; we will ambush an innocent person capriciously. | 11If they say--"Come with us! Let's set an ambush and kill someone. Let's attack some innocent person just for fun! |
| 12We will swallow them alive like Sheol, those full of vigor like those going down to the Pit. | 12Let's swallow them alive, like Sheol, still healthy as they go down to the Pit. |
| 13We will seize all kinds of precious wealth; we will fill our houses with plunder. | 13We'll find all kinds of valuable property and fill our houses with plunder. |
| 14Join with us! We will all share equally in what we steal." | 14Throw in your lot with us, and we'll all share our money"-- |
| 15My child, do not go down their way, withhold yourself from their path; | 15my son, don't travel that road with them or set foot on their path, |
| 16for they are eager to inflict harm, and they hasten to shed blood. | 16because their feet run toward trouble and they hurry to commit murder. |
| 17Surely it is futile to spread a net in plain sight of any bird, | 17It is foolish to spread a net where any bird can see it, |
| 18but these men lie in wait for their own blood, they ambush their own lives! | 18but they set an ambush to kill themselves; they attack their own lives. |
| 19Such are the ways of all who gain profit unjustly; it takes away the life of those who obtain it! | 19Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly; it takes the lives of those who receive it. |
| 20Wisdom calls out in the street, she shouts loudly in the plazas; | 20Wisdom calls out in the street; she raises her voice in the public squares. |
| 21at the head of the noisy streets she calls, in the entrances of the gates in the city she utters her words: | 21She cries out above the commotion; she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:" |
| 22"How long will you simpletons love naivete? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? | 22How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance? How long will you mockers enjoy mocking and you fools hate knowledge? |
| 23If only you will respond to my rebuke, then I will pour out my thoughts to 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. |
| 24However, because I called but you refused to listen, because I stretched out my hand 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 comply with my rebuke, | 25since you neglected all my counsel and did not accept my correction, |
| 26so I myself will laugh when disaster strikes you, I will mock when what you dread comes, | 26I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when terror strikes you, |
| 27when what you dread comes like a whirlwind, and disaster strikes you like a devastating storm, when distressing trouble comes on you. | 27when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when trouble and stress overcome you. |
| 28Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will diligently seek me, 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. |
| 29Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the LORD, | 29Because they hated knowledge, didn't choose to fear the LORD, |
| 30they did not comply with my advice, they spurned all my rebuke. | 30were not interested in my counsel, and rejected all my correction, |
| 31Therefore they will eat from the fruit of their way, and they will be stuffed full of their own counsel. | 31they will eat the fruit of their way and be glutted with their own schemes. |
| 32For the waywardness of the simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them. | 32For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. |
| 33But the one who listens to me will live in security, and will be at ease from the dread of harm. | 33But whoever listens to me will live securely and be free from the fear of danger." |
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