Proverbs 8-11
New International Reader's Version
Wisdom Calls Out
8 Doesn’t wisdom call out?
Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
2 At the highest point along the way,
she takes her place where the paths meet.
3 Beside the gate leading into the city,
she cries out at the entrance. She says,
4 “People, I call out to you.
I raise my voice to all human beings.
5 You who are childish, get some good sense.
You who are foolish, set your hearts on getting it.
6 Listen! I have things to say that you can depend on.
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true.
My lips hate evil.
8 All the words of my mouth are honest.
None of them is twisted or sinful.
9 To those who have understanding, all my words are right.
To those who have found knowledge, they are true.
10 Choose my teaching instead of silver.
Choose knowledge rather than fine gold.
11 Wisdom is worth more than rubies.
Nothing you want can compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, live together with understanding.
I have knowledge and good sense.
13 To have respect for the Lord is to hate evil.
I hate pride and bragging.
I hate evil ways and twisted words.
14 I have good sense and give good advice.
I have understanding and power.
15 By me kings rule.
Leaders make laws that are fair.
16 By me princes and nobles govern.
It is by me that anyone rules on earth.
17 I love those who love me.
Those who look for me find me.
18 With me are riches and honor.
With me are lasting wealth and success.
19 My fruit is better than fine gold.
My gifts are better than the finest silver.
20 I walk in ways that are honest.
I take paths that are right.
21 I leave riches to those who love me.
I give them more than they have room for.
22 “The Lord created me as the first of his works,
before his acts of long ago.
23 I was formed a long, long time ago.
I was formed at the very beginning, when the world was created.
24 Before there were any oceans, I was born.
It was before there were springs flowing with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled in place, I was born.
Before there were any hills, I was born.
26 It happened before the Lord made the world and its fields.
It was before he made the dust of the earth.
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place.
When he marked out the place where the sky meets the sea, I was there.
28 That was when he put the clouds above.
It was when he fixed the ocean springs in place.
29 It was when he set limits for the sea
so that the waters had to obey his command.
When the Lord marked out the foundations of the earth, I was there.
30 I was constantly at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day.
I was always happy to be with him.
31 His whole world filled me with joy.
I took delight in all human beings.
32 “My children, listen to me.
Blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to my teaching and be wise.
Don’t turn away from it.
34 Blessed are those who listen to me.
They watch every day at my doors.
They wait beside my doorway.
35 Those who find me find life.
They receive blessing from the Lord.
36 But those who don’t find me harm only themselves.
Everyone who hates me loves death.”
Wisdom and Foolishness Call Out
9 Wisdom has built her house.
She has set up its seven pillars.
2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine.
She has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her servants.
She calls out from the highest point of the city.
4 She says, “Let all who are childish come to my house!”
She speaks to those who have no sense. She says,
5 “Come and eat my food.
Drink the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave your childish ways and you will live.
Walk in the way of understanding.”
7 When you correct someone who makes fun of others, you might be laughed at.
When you warn a sinner, you might get hurt.
8 Don’t warn those who make fun of others, or they will hate you.
Warn those who are wise, and they will love you.
9 Teach a wise person, and they will become even wiser.
Teach a person who does right, and they will learn even more.
10 If you want to become wise, you must begin by respecting the Lord.
To know the Holy One is to gain understanding.
11 Through wisdom, you will live a long time.
Years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you.
If you make fun of others, you alone will suffer.
13 The woman called Foolishness is wild.
She is childish and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the door of her house.
She sits at the highest point of the city.
15 She calls out to those who pass by.
She calls out to those who go straight on their way. She says,
16 “Let all who are childish come to my house!”
She speaks to those who have no sense.
17 She says, “Stolen water is sweet.
Food eaten in secret tastes good!”
18 But they don’t know that dead people are there.
They don’t know that her guests are deep in the place of the dead.
The Proverbs of Solomon
10 These are the proverbs of Solomon.
A wise son makes his father glad.
But a foolish son brings sorrow to his mother.
2 Riches that are gained by sinning aren’t worth anything.
But doing what is right saves you from death.
3 The Lord gives those who do right the food they need.
But he lets those who do wrong go hungry.
4 Hands that don’t want to work make you poor.
But hands that work hard bring wealth to you.
5 A child who gathers crops in summer is wise.
But a child who sleeps at harvest time brings shame.
6 Blessings are like crowns on the heads of those who do right.
But the trouble caused by what sinners say destroys them.
7 The names of those who do right are used in blessings.
But the names of those who do wrong will rot.
8 A wise heart accepts commands.
But foolish chattering destroys you.
9 Anyone who lives without blame walks safely.
But anyone who takes a crooked path will get caught.
10 An evil wink gets you into trouble.
And foolish chattering destroys you.
11 The mouths of those who do right pour out life like a fountain.
But the mouths of sinners hide their evil plans.
12 Hate stirs up fights.
But love erases all sins by forgiving them.
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of those who understand what is right.
But those who have no sense are punished.
14 Wise people store up knowledge.
But the mouths of foolish people destroy them.
15 The wealth of rich people is like a city that makes them feel safe.
But having nothing destroys those who are poor.
16 People who do what is right earn life.
But sinners earn sin and death.
17 Anyone who pays attention to correction
shows the path to life.
But anyone who refuses to be corrected
leads others down the wrong path.
18 Anyone who hides hatred with lying lips
and spreads lies is foolish.
19 Sin is not ended by using many words.
But those who are wise control their tongues.
20 The tongues of those who do right are like fine silver.
But the hearts of those who do wrong aren’t worth very much.
21 The words of those who do right benefit many people.
But those who are foolish die because they have no sense.
22 The blessing of the Lord brings wealth.
And it comes without painful work.
23 A foolish person finds pleasure in evil plans.
But a person who has understanding takes delight in wisdom.
24 What sinners are afraid of will catch up with them.
But those who do right will get what they want.
25 When the storm is over, sinners are gone.
But those who do right stand firm forever.
26 Those who don’t want to work hurt those who send them.
They are like vinegar on the teeth or smoke in the eyes.
27 Having respect for the Lord leads to a longer life.
But the years of evil people are cut short.
28 Those who do right can expect joy.
But the hopes of sinners are bound to fail.
29 The way of the Lord is a safe place for those without blame.
But that way destroys those who do evil.
30 Those who do right will never be removed from the land.
But those who do wrong will not remain in it.
31 The mouths of those who do right produce wisdom.
But tongues that speak twisted words will be made silent.
32 Those who do right know the proper thing to say.
But those who do wrong speak only twisted words.
11 The Lord hates it when people use scales to cheat others.
But he is delighted when people use honest weights.
2 When pride comes, shame follows.
But wisdom comes to those who are not proud.
3 Those who do what is right are guided by their honest lives.
But those who aren’t faithful are destroyed by their lies.
4 Wealth isn’t worth anything when God judges you.
But doing what is right saves you from death.
5 The ways of honest people are made straight because they do what is right.
But those who do what is wrong are brought down by their own sins.
6 Godly people are saved by doing what is right.
But those who aren’t faithful are trapped by evil longings.
7 Hopes placed in human beings will die with them.
Everything their power promised comes to nothing.
8 Those who do right are saved from trouble.
But trouble comes on those who do wrong.
9 With their words ungodly people destroy their neighbors.
But those who do what is right escape because of their knowledge.
10 When those who do right succeed, their city is glad.
When those who do wrong die, people shout for joy.
11 The blessing of honest people builds up a city.
But the words of sinners destroy it.
12 Whoever makes fun of their neighbor has no sense.
But the one who has understanding controls their tongue.
13 Those who talk about others will tell secrets.
But those who can be trusted keep the secrets of others.
14 Without guidance a nation falls.
But many good advisers can bring victory to a nation.
15 Whoever promises to pay for what someone else owes will certainly suffer.
But a person who doesn’t agree to pay someone else’s bill is safe.
16 A woman who has a kind heart gains honor.
But men who are not kind gain only wealth.
17 Those who are kind benefit themselves.
But mean people bring ruin on themselves.
18 An evil person really earns nothing.
But the one who plants what is right will certainly be rewarded.
19 Surely right living leads to life.
But whoever runs after evil finds death.
20 The Lord hates those whose hearts are twisted.
But he is pleased with those who live without blame.
21 You can be sure that sinners will be punished.
And you can also be sure that godly people will go free.
22 A beautiful woman who has no sense
is like a gold ring in a pig’s nose.
23 What godly people long for ends only in what is good.
But what sinners hope for ends only in God’s anger.
24 One person gives freely but gets even richer.
Another person doesn’t give what they should but gets even poorer.
25 Anyone who gives a lot will succeed.
Anyone who renews others will be renewed.
26 People ask for bad things to happen to those who store up grain for themselves.
But people ask for God’s blessing on those who are willing to sell.
27 Anyone who looks for what is good will be blessed.
But bad things will happen to a person who plans to do evil.
28 Those who trust in their riches will fall.
But those who do right will be as healthy as a green leaf.
29 Those who bring ruin on their families will receive nothing but wind.
And foolish people will serve wise people.
30 The fruit that godly people bear is like a tree of life.
And those who are wise save lives.
31 Godly people get what they should get on earth.
So ungodly people and sinners will certainly get what they should get!
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