| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: | 1The proverbs of David's son Solomon, king of Israel. |
| 2To learn wisdom and moral instruction, and to discern wise counsel. | 2These proverbs are for gaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; |
| 3To receive moral instruction in skillful living, in righteousness, justice, and equity. | 3for acquiring the discipline that produces wise behavior, righteousness, justice, and upright living; |
| 4To impart shrewdness to the morally naive, and a discerning plan to the young person. | 4for giving prudence to the naïve, and knowledge and discretion to the young. |
| 5(Let the wise also hear and gain instruction, and let the discerning acquire guidance!) | 5Let the wise listen and increase their learning; let the person of understanding receive guidance |
| 6To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable, the sayings of the wise and their riddles. | 6in understanding proverbs, clever sayings, 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, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. |
| 8Listen, my child, to the instruction from your father, and do not forsake the teaching from your mother. | 8My son, listen to your father's instruction, and do not let go of your mother's teaching. |
| 9For they will be like an elegant garland on your head, and like pendants around your neck. | 9They will be a graceful wreath for your head and a chain for your neck. |
| 10My child, if sinners try to entice you, do not consent! | 10My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. |
| 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 lie in wait for blood; let's ambush some innocent person for no reason at all. |
| 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, and whole like those who go down into the Pit. |
| 13We will seize all kinds of precious wealth; we will fill our houses with plunder. | 13We'll find all kinds of valuable wealth, and we'll fill our houses with spoil. |
| 14Join with us! We will all share equally in what we steal." | 14Throw your lot in with us, and all of us will have one purse." |
| 15My child, do not go down their way, withhold yourself from their path; | 15My son, do not go along with them, and keep your feet away from their paths! |
| 16for they are eager to inflict harm, and they hasten to shed blood. | 16For they run toward evil; these enticers shed blood without hesitation. |
| 17Surely it is futile to spread a net in plain sight of any bird, | 17Look, it is useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds, |
| 18but these men lie in wait for their own blood, they ambush their own lives! | 18but these people lie in wait for their own blood. They ambush only themselves. |
| 19Such are the ways of all who gain profit unjustly; it takes away the life of those who obtain it! | 19Such is the way of all those who seek illicit gain— it takes away the lives of those who possess it. |
| 20Wisdom calls out in the street, she shouts loudly in the plazas; | 20Wisdom cries 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 calls out at the busiest part of the noisy streets, and at the entrance to the gates of the city she utters her words: |
| 22"How long will you simpletons love naivete? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? | 22"You naïve ones, how long will you love naivete? And how long will scoffers delight in scoffing or 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. | 23Return to my correction! Look, I will pour out my spirit on you, and I will make my words known to you. |
| 24However, because I called but you refused to listen, because I stretched out my hand but no one paid attention, | 24"Because I called out to you and you refused to respond— I appealed, but no one paid attention— |
| 25because you neglected all my advice, and did not comply with my rebuke, | 25because you neglected all my advice and did not want my correction, |
| 26so I myself will laugh when disaster strikes you, I will mock when what you dread comes, | 26I will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when what you fear comes, |
| 27when what you dread comes like a whirlwind, and disaster strikes you like a devastating storm, when distressing trouble comes on you. | 27when what you dread comes like a storm, and your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. |
| 28Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me. | 28"Then they will call out to me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. |
| 29Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the LORD, | 29"Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD; |
| 30they did not comply with my advice, they spurned all my rebuke. | 30they did not want my advice, and they 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 they will be filled with their own devices. |
| 32For the waywardness of the simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them. | 32Indeed, the waywardness of the naïve 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. | 33"But the person who listens to me will live safely and will be secure from the fear of evil." |
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