| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 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 gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; |
| 3To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; | 3for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; |
| 4To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— | 4for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young-- |
| 5A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, | 5let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-- |
| 6To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. | 6for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. |
| 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, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. |
| 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 do not forsake your mother's teaching. |
| 9For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck. | 9They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. |
| 10My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. | 10My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. |
| 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 along with us; let's lie in wait for innocent blood, let's ambush some harmless soul; |
| 12Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit; | 12let's swallow them alive, like the grave, and 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 will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; |
| 14Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse”— | 14cast lots with us; we will all share the loot"-- |
| 15My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path; | 15my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; |
| 16For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood. | 16for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood. |
| 17Surely, in vain the net is spread In the sight of any bird; | 17How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it! |
| 18But they lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk secretly for their own lives. | 18These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves! |
| 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 go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it. |
| 20Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares. | 20Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; |
| 21She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: | 21on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: |
| 22“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge. | 22"How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? |
| 23Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. | 23Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. |
| 24Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, | 24But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, |
| 25Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, | 25since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, |
| 26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, | 26I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you-- |
| 27When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. | 27when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. |
| 28“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. | 28"Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, |
| 29Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, | 29since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD. |
| 30They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. | 30Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, |
| 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 ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. |
| 32For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them; | 32For the waywardness of the simple 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 in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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