6EVERY <THE> BREATHING THING LET IT PRAISE YAHWEH PRAISE YAHWEH 6Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Hallelujah!
1[THE] PROVERBS OF SOLOMON [THE] SON OF DAVID [THE] KING OF ISRAEL The Beginning of Knowledge (Proverbs 9:1–12) 1These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
2TO LEARN WISDOM AND DISCIPLINE TO TEACH WORDS OF UNDERSTANDING 2for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
3TO RECEIVE CORRECTION OF INSIGHT RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE AND UPRIGHTNESS<ES> 3and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
4TO GIVE TO NAIVE PEOPLE PRUDENCE TO A YOUTH KNOWLEDGE AND DISCRETION 4To impart prudence to the simple*NoteCloseThe Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs refers to one who is naive, without moral direction, or inclined to evil. and knowledge and discretion to the young,
5LET HIM LISTEN A PRUDENT [ONE] AND LET HIM INCREASE INSIGHT AND A DISCERNING [ONE] WISE DIRECTIONS LET HIM GET 5let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
6TO UNDERSTAND A PROVERB AND AN ENIGMA [THE] WORDS OF LEARNED ONES AND PARABLES THEIR 6by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7[THE] FEAR OF YAHWEH [IS THE] BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE WISDOM AND DISCIPLINE FOOLS THEY DESPISE 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools*NoteCloseThe Hebrew words rendered as fool in Proverbs denote one who is morally deficient. despise wisdom and discipline.
8LISTEN TO O SON MY [THE] CORRECTION OF FATHER YOUR AND MAY NOT YOU REJECT [THE] INSTRUCTION OF MOTHER YOUR The Enticement of Sin 8Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
9FOR [WILL BE] A WREATH OF FAVOR THEY FOR HEAD YOUR AND NECKLACES FOR NECK YOUR 9For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
10O SON MY IF THEY WILL ENTICE YOU SINNERS MAY NOT YOU BE WILLING 10My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
11IF THEY WILL SAY COME! WITH US LET US LIE IN WAIT FOR BLOOD LET US LIE HIDDEN FOR AN INNOCENT [ONE] WITHOUT CAUSE 11If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
12LET US ENGULF THEM LIKE SHEOL ALIVE AND COMPLETE LIKE [THOSE WHO] GO DOWN OF [THE] PIT 12let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit.
13ALL WEALTH PRIZED WE WILL FIND WE WILL FILL HOUSES OUR PLUNDER 13We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
14LOT YOUR YOU WILL CAST IN MIDST OF US A BAG ONE IT WILL BELONG TO ALL OF US 14Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”
15O SON MY MAY NOT YOU WALK IN [THE] WAY WITH THEM RESTRAIN FOOT YOUR FROM PATHWAY THEIR 15my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
16FOR FEET THEIR TO <THE> EVIL THEY RUN AND THEY MAY MAKE HASTE TO SHED BLOOD 16For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
17FOR IN VAIN [IS] SPREAD OUT THE NET IN [THE] EYES OF EVERY OWNER OF A WING 17How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
18AND THEY FOR OWN BLOOD THEIR THEY LIE IN WAIT THEY LIE HIDDEN FOR OWN LIFE THEIR 18But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
19[ARE] THUS [THE] PATHS OF EVERY [ONE WHO] GAINS UNJUSTLY UNJUST GAIN <OBJ.> [THE] LIFE OF OWNERS ITS IT WILL TAKE 19Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
20WISDOM<S> IN THE STREET IT CRIES ALOUD IN THE OPEN PLACES SHE GIVES VOICE HER Wisdom Calls Aloud 20Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
21AT [THE] TOP OF NOISY [PLACES] SHE CALLS OUT AT [THE] ENTRANCES OF [THE] GATES IN THE CITY SAYINGS HER SHE UTTERS 21in the main concourse*NoteCloseOr from the top of the wall she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
22UNTIL WHEN? O NAIVE PEOPLE WILL YOU LOVE NAIVETE AND MOCKERS MOCKERY DO THEY DELIGHT IN? <FOR> THEMSELVES AND FOOLS WILL THEY 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?
23YOU WILL TURN BACK TO REBUKE MY HERE! I WILL POUR OUT TO YOU SPIRIT MY LET ME DECLARE WORDS MY <OBJ.> 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 CALLED AND YOU REFUSED I OFFERED HAND MY AND THERE NOT [WAS] AN ATTENTIVE [ONE] 24Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
25AND YOU IGNORED ALL ADVICE MY AND REBUKE MY NOT YOU YIELDED TO 25because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
26ALSO I AT CALAMITY YOUR I WILL LAUGH I WILL MOCK WHEN COMES DREAD YOUR 26in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
27WHEN COMES LIKE DEVASTATION DREAD YOUR AND CALAMITY YOUR LIKE A STORM-WIND IT WILL ARRIVE WHEN COMES ON YOU TROUBLE AND DISTRESS 27when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
28THEN THEY WILL CALL TO ME AND NOT I WILL ANSWER THEY WILL EARNESTLY SEEK ME AND NOT THEY WILL FIND ME 28Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
29BECAUSE FOR THEY HATED KNOWLEDGE AND [THE] FEAR OF YAHWEH NOT THEY CHOSE 29For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
30NOT THEY YIELDED TO ADVICE MY THEY SPURNED ALL REBUKE MY 30They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
31SO THEY MAY EAT FROM [THE] FRUIT OF WAY THEIR AND FROM OWN SCHEMES THEIR THEY WILL BE SURFEITED 31So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32FOR [THE] WAYWARDNESS OF NAIVE PEOPLE IT WILL RUIN THEM AND [THE] EASE OF FOOLS IT WILL DESTROY THEM 32For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33AND [ONE WHO] LISTENS TO ME HE WILL DWELL SECURITY AND HE WILL BE AT EASE FROM DREAD OF TROUBLE 33But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”