| New King James Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: | 1The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: |
| 2To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, | 2For learning wisdom and discipline; for understanding insightful sayings; |
| 3To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; | 3for receiving prudent instruction in righteousness, justice, and integrity; |
| 4To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— | 4for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man-- |
| 5A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, | 5let a wise person listen and increase learning, and let a discerning person obtain guidance-- |
| 6To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. | 6for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles. |
| 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. | 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. |
| 8My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; | 8Listen, my son, to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching, |
| 9For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck. | 9for they will be a garland of favor on your head and pendants around your neck. |
| 10My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. | 10My son, if sinners entice you, don't be persuaded. |
| 11If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; | 11If they say--"Come with us! Let's set an ambush and kill someone. Let's attack some innocent person just for fun! |
| 12Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit; | 12Let's swallow them alive, like Sheol, whole, like those who go down to the Pit. |
| 13We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, We shall fill our houses with spoil; | 13We'll find all kinds of valuable property and fill our houses with plunder. |
| 14Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse”— | 14Throw in your lot with us, and we'll all share the loot"-- |
| 15My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path; | 15my son, don't travel that road with them or set foot on their path, |
| 16For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood. | 16because their feet run toward evil and they hurry to shed blood. |
| 17Surely, in vain the net is spread In the sight of any bird; | 17It is useless to spread a net where any bird can see it, |
| 18But they lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk secretly for their own lives. | 18but they set an ambush to kill themselves; they attack their own lives. |
| 19So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners. | 19Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly; it takes the lives of those who receive it. |
| 20Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares. | 20Wisdom calls out in the street; she makes her voice heard in the public squares. |
| 21She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: | 21She cries out above the commotion; she speaks at the entrance of the city gates: |
| 22“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge. | 22"How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance? How long will you mockers enjoy mocking and you fools hate knowledge? |
| 23Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; 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. |
| 24Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, | 24Since I called out and you refused, extended my hand and no one paid attention, |
| 25Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, | 25since you neglected all my counsel and did not accept my correction, |
| 26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, | 26I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when terror strikes you, |
| 27When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. | 27when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when trouble and stress overcome you. |
| 28“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, 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 knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, | 29Because they hated knowledge, didn't choose to fear the LORD, |
| 30They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. | 30were not interested in my counsel, and rejected all my correction, |
| 31Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies. | 31they will eat the fruit of their way and be glutted with their own schemes. |
| 32For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them; | 32For the apostasy of the inexperienced will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. |
| 33But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.” | 33But whoever listens to me will live securely and be undisturbed by the dread of danger." |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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