New Living Translation | English Standard Version |
1These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. | 1The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: |
2Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. | 2To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, |
3Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. | 3to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; |
4These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. | 4to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— |
5Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance | 5Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, |
6by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles. | 6to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. |
7Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. A Father’s Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom | 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. |
8My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. | 8Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, |
9What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck. | 9for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. |
10My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! | 10My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. |
11They may say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent! | 11If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; |
12Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave ; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death. | 12like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; |
13Think of the great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take. | 13we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; |
14Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.” | 14throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse”— |
15My child, don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths. | 15my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, |
16They rush to commit evil deeds. They hurry to commit murder. | 16for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. |
17If a bird sees a trap being set, it knows to stay away. | 17For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, |
18But these people set an ambush for themselves; they are trying to get themselves killed. | 18but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. |
19Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life. Wisdom Shouts in the Streets | 19Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors. |
20Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. | 20Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; |
21She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate: | 21at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: |
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? | 22“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? |
23Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise. | 23If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. |
24“I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. | 24Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, |
25You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. | 25because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, |
26So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you— | 26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, |
27when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone, and anguish and distress overwhelm you. | 27when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. |
28“When they cry for help, I will not answer. Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me. | 28Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. |
29For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. | 29Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, |
30They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. | 30would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, |
31Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes. | 31therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. |
32For simpletons turn away from me—to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency. | 32For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; |
33But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.” | 33but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” |
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. | 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. |
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