Proverbs 1:2-21
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 1
2To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, 3To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice, and integrity; 4To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, 5A wise person will hear and increase in learning, And a person of understanding will acquire wise counsel, 6To understand a proverb and a saying, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, And do not ignore your mother’s teaching; 9For they are a graceful wreath for your head And necklaces for your neck. 10My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. 11If they say, 'Come with us, Let’s lie in wait for blood, Let’s ambush the innocent without cause; 12Let’s swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, like those who go down to the pit; 13We will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with plunder; 14Throw in your lot with us; We will all have one money bag,' 15My son, do not walk on the way with them. Keep your feet from their path, 16For their feet run to evil, And they are quick to shed blood. 17Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net In the sight of any bird; 18But they lie in wait for their own blood; They ambush their own lives. 19Such are the ways of everyone who makes unjust gain; It takes away the life of its possessors. 20Wisdom shouts in the street, She raises her voice in the public square; 21At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she declares her sayings:King James Version
6To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
9For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
10My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 1
2For learning wisdom and discipline; for understanding insightful sayings; 3for receiving prudent instruction in righteousness, justice, and integrity; 4for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man— 5let a wise person listen and increase learning, and let a discerning person obtain guidance—
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; fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,
9for they will be a garland of favor on your head and pendants around your neck.
10My son, if sinners entice you, don’t be persuaded.
11If they say—"Come with us! Let’s set an ambush and kill someone. Let’s attack some innocent person just for fun!
12Let’s swallow them alive, like Sheol, whole, like those who go down to the Pit.
13We’ll find all kinds of valuable property and fill our houses with plunder.
14Throw in your lot with us, and we’ll all share the loot" —
15my son, don’t travel that road with them or set foot on their path,
16because their feet run toward evil and they hurry to shed blood.
17It is useless to spread a net where any bird can see it,
18but they set an ambush to kill themselves; they attack their own lives.
19Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly; it takes the lives of those who receive it.
20Wisdom calls out in the street; she makes her voice heard in the public squares.
21She cries out above the commotion; she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
New Living Translation
Chapter 1
2Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. 3Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. 4These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young.
5Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance
6by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles.
8My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction.
9What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck.
10My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them!
11They may say, 'Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
12Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave ; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.
13Think of the great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.
14Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.'
15My child, don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths.
16They rush to commit evil deeds. They hurry to commit murder.
17If a bird sees a trap being set, it knows to stay away.
18But these people set an ambush for themselves; they are trying to get themselves killed.
19Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life.
English Standard Version
Chapter 1
2To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, 3to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; 4to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth — 5Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, 6to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8 Hear, my son, your father 's instruction, and forsake not your mother 's teaching, 9for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. 10My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. 11If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; 12like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; 13we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; 14throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse" — 15my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, 16for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. 17 For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, 18but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. 19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors. 20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; 21at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:New International Version
Chapter 1
2for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; 3for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; 4for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— 5let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—
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.
8Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
10My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them.
11If they say, "Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder;
14cast lots with us; we will all share the loot"—
15my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths;
16for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood.
17How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it!
18These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves!
19Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it.
20Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square;
New King James Version
