King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
1 The proverbs 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 know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
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Here are proverbs that will help you recognize wisdom and good advice, and understand sayings with deep meaning.
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
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They can teach you how to live intelligently and how to be honest, just, and fair.
4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
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They can make an inexperienced person clever and teach young people how to be resourceful.
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
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These proverbs can even add to the knowledge of the wise and give guidance to the educated,
6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; 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 beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
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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, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
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My child, pay attention to what your father and mother tell you.
9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy 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 entice thee, consent thou not.
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My child, when sinners tempt you, don't give in.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent 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 swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
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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 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
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We'll find all kinds of riches and fill our houses with loot!
14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
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Come and join us, and we'll all share what we steal."
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
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My child, don't go with people like that. Stay away from them.
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
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They can't wait to do something bad. They're always ready to kill.
17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any 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 lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
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but people like that are setting a trap for themselves, a trap in which they will die.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
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Robbery always claims the life of the robber - this is what happens to anyone who lives by violence.
20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
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Listen! Wisdom is calling out in the streets and marketplaces,
21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
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calling loudly at the city gates and wherever people come together:
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate 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 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
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Listen when I reprimand you; I will give you good advice and share my knowledge with you.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
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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 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
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You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you.
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
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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 cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon 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 shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find 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 that they hated knowledge, and did not choose 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 would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
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You have never wanted my advice or paid any attention when I corrected you.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
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So then, you will get what you deserve, and your own actions will make you sick.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
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Inexperienced people die because they reject wisdom. Stupid people are destroyed by their own lack of concern.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from 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 King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.