| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: | 1These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel, |
| 2To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, | 2for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight, |
| 3To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; | 3and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity. |
| 4To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— | 4To impart prudence to the simple and 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 gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel |
| 6To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. | 6by understanding the 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 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 do not forsake the teaching of your mother. |
| 9For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck. | 9For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck. |
| 10My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. | 10My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield 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, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause, |
| 12Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit; | 12let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. |
| 13We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, We shall fill our houses with spoil; | 13We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder. |
| 14Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse”— | 14Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”— |
| 15My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path; | 15my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path. |
| 16For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood. | 16For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood. |
| 17Surely, in vain the net is spread In the sight of any bird; | 17How futile it is to spread the 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 lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives. |
| 19So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners. | 19Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors. |
| 20Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares. | 20Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square; |
| 21She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: | 21in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates 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, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn 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. | 23If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you. |
| 24Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, | 24Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand, |
| 25Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, | 25because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction, |
| 26I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, | 26in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer 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 your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish 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. | 28Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me. |
| 29Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, | 29For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. |
| 30They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. | 30They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof. |
| 31Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies. | 31So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. |
| 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 slay 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 dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.” |
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