The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 The wise sayings of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.
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The proverbs of Solomon, son of David and king of Israel.
2 To have knowledge of wise teaching; to be clear about the words of reason:
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Here are proverbs that will help you recognize wisdom and good advice, and understand sayings with deep meaning.
3 To be trained in the ways of wisdom, in righteousness and judging truly and straight behaviour:
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They can teach you how to live intelligently and how to be honest, just, and fair.
4 To make the simple-minded sharp, and to give the young man knowledge, and serious purpose:
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They can make an inexperienced person clever and teach young people how to be resourceful.
5 (The wise man, hearing, will get greater learning, and the acts of the man of good sense will be wisely guided:)
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These proverbs can even add to the knowledge of the wise and give guidance to the educated,
6 To get the sense of wise sayings and secrets, and of the words of the wise and their dark sayings.
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so that they can understand the hidden meanings of proverbs and the problems that the wise raise.
7 The fear of the Lord is the start of knowledge: but the foolish have no use for wisdom and teaching.
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To have knowledge, you must first have reverence for the Lord. Stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn.
8 My son, give ear to the training of your father, and do not give up the teaching of your mother:
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My child, pay attention to what your father and mother tell you.
9 For they will be a crown of grace for your head, and chain-ornaments about your neck.
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Their teaching will improve your character as a handsome turban or a necklace improves your appearance.
10 My son, if sinners would take you out of the right way, do not go with them.
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My child, when sinners tempt you, don't give in.
11 If they say, Come with us; let us make designs against the good, waiting secretly for the upright, without cause;
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Suppose they say, "Come on; let's find someone to kill! Let's attack some innocent people for the fun of it!
12 Let us overcome them living, like the underworld, and in their strength, as those who go down to death;
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They may be alive and well when we find them, but they'll be dead when we're through with them!
13 Goods of great price will be ours, our houses will be full of wealth;
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We'll find all kinds of riches and fill our houses with loot!
14 Take your chance with us, and we will all have one money-bag:
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Come and join us, and we'll all share what we steal."
15 My son, do not go with them; keep your feet from their ways:
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My child, don't go with people like that. Stay away from them.
16 For their feet are running after evil, and they are quick to take a man's life.
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They can't wait to do something bad. They're always ready to kill.
17 Truly, to no purpose is the net stretched out before the eyes of the bird:
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It does no good to spread a net when the bird you want to catch is watching,
18 And they are secretly waiting for their blood and making ready destruction for themselves.
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but people like that are setting a trap for themselves, a trap in which they will die.
19 Such is the fate of everyone who goes in search of profit; it takes away the life of its owners.
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Robbery always claims the life of the robber - this is what happens to anyone who lives by violence.
20 Wisdom is crying out in the street; her voice is loud in the open places;
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Listen! Wisdom is calling out in the streets and marketplaces,
21 Her words are sounding in the meeting-places, and in the doorways of the town:
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calling loudly at the city gates and wherever people come together:
22 How long, you simple ones, will foolish things be dear to you? and pride a delight to the haters of authority? how long will the foolish go on hating knowledge?
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"Foolish people! How long do you want to be foolish? How long will you enjoy making fun of knowledge? Will you never learn?
23 Be turned again by my sharp words: see, I will send the flow of my spirit on you, and make my words clear to you.
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Listen when I reprimand you; I will give you good advice and share my knowledge with you.
24 Because your ears were shut to my voice; no one gave attention to my out-stretched hand;
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I have been calling you, inviting you to come, but you would not listen. You paid no attention to me.
25 You were not controlled by my guiding, and would have nothing to do with my sharp words:
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You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you.
26 So in the day of your trouble I will be laughing; I will make sport of your fear;
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So when you get into trouble, I will laugh at you. I will make fun of you when terror strikes -
27 When your fear comes on you like a storm, and your trouble like a rushing wind; when pain and sorrow come on you.
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when it comes on you like a storm, bringing fierce winds of trouble, and you are in pain and misery.
28 Then I will give no answer to their cries; searching for me early, they will not see me:
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Then you will call for wisdom, but I will not answer. You may look for me everywhere, but you will not find me.
29 For they were haters of knowledge, and did not give their hearts to the fear of the Lord:
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You have never had any use for knowledge and have always refused to obey the Lord.
30 They had no desire for my teaching, and my words of protest were as nothing to them.
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You have never wanted my advice or paid any attention when I corrected you.
31 So the fruit of their way will be their food, and with the designs of their hearts they will be made full.
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So then, you will get what you deserve, and your own actions will make you sick.
32 For the turning back of the simple from teaching will be the cause of their death, and the peace of the foolish will be their destruction.
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Inexperienced people die because they reject wisdom. Stupid people are destroyed by their own lack of concern.
33 But whoever gives ear to me will take his rest safely, living in peace without fear of evil.
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But whoever listens to me will have security. He will be safe, with no reason to be afraid."
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.