| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel, | 1These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. |
| 2for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight, | 2Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. |
| 3and for receiving instruction in wise living and in 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 impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young, | 4These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. |
| 5let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel | 5Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance |
| 6by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. | 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, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. | 7Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. A Father’s Exhortation: Acquire Wisdom |
| 8Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother. | 8My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. |
| 9For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around 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 yield to them. | 10My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! |
| 11If they say, “Come along, 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, and whole like those descending into 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 manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder. | 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; let us all share one purse”— | 14Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.” |
| 15my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path. | 15My child, don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths. |
| 16For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood. | 16They rush to commit evil deeds. They hurry to commit murder. |
| 17How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it! | 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. |
| 19Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives 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 calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square; | 20Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. |
| 21in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech: | 21She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate: |
| 22“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn 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? |
| 23If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you. | 23Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise. |
| 24Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand, | 24“I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. |
| 25because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction, | 25You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered. |
| 26in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you, | 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 destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you. | 27when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone, and anguish and distress overwhelm you. |
| 28Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but 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. |
| 29For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. | 29For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. |
| 30They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof. | 30They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. |
| 31So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. | 31Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes. |
| 32For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. | 32For simpletons turn away from me—to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency. |
| 33But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.” | 33But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.” |
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