Proverbs 1 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

These are for gaining wisdom and discipline, for understanding words full of insight,

for receiving training in living with good judgment — doing what is right, just, and fair,

for giving street smarts to the inexperienced, and knowledge and clear thinking to the young.

Let the wise listen and add to what they know, and let the discerning pick up guidance,

for understanding proverbs and figures of speech, the sayings of the wise and their riddles.

Deep respect and awe for Yahweh is where knowledge begins. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline.

My son, listen to what your father teaches you, and don't walk away from what your mother shows you.

They will be a wreath of beauty on your head and a chain of honor around your neck.

My son, when people who do wrong try to pull you in, don't go along with it.

If they say, "Come with us — let's ambush someone and kill them, let's hide and jump some innocent person just for fun,

let's swallow them alive like the grave, whole and healthy like people falling into a pit,

we'll find all kinds of valuable stuff—we'll fill our houses with what we take,

throw in your lot with us — we'll all share one money bag" —

my son, don't go down that road with them. Keep your feet off their path.

Because their feet run toward evil — they rush to shed blood.

It's pointless to set a trap in full view of any bird—

but these people set an ambush that will cost them their own lives; they are setting a trap for themselves.

This is how it ends for everyone greedy for dishonest gain — it takes the life of the one who gets it.

Wisdom calls out in the street. She raises her voice in the public squares.

At the head of the noisy streets she cries out. At the entrance to the city gates she makes her speech:

"How long will you inexperienced ones keep loving your inexperience? How long will cynics enjoy their cynicism and fools hate knowledge?

Turn and pay attention when I correct you! Look — I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make my words known to you.

But since I called and you refused to listen, since I reached out my hand and no one paid attention,

since you ignored all my advice and wanted nothing to do with my correction —

then I will laugh when disaster hits you. I will mock when what you dread comes crashing down,

when what you dread comes like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when trouble and distress close in on you.

Then they will call out to me, but I will not answer. They will search hard for me, but they won't find me.

Because they hated knowledge and did not choose to respect Yahweh,

because they wanted nothing to do with my advice and rejected every correction I offered,

they will eat the fruit of their own choices and be stuffed full of their own schemes.

Because turning away will kill the inexperienced, and the comfortable complacency of fools will destroy them.

But whoever listens to me will live in safety, completely at ease, without fear of harm."