Proverbs 1:8-19

Easy-to-Read Version

Advice to a Son

⁸ My son,^[a] listen to your father when he corrects you, and don’t ignore what your mother teaches you. ⁹ What you learn from your parents will bring you honor and respect, like a crown or a gold medal.^[b]

¹⁰ My son, those who love to do wrong will try to trick you. Don’t listen to them. ¹¹ They will say, “Come with us. Let’s hide and beat to death anyone who happens to walk by. ¹² We will swallow them whole, as the grave swallows the dying. ¹³ We will take everything they have and fill our houses with stolen goods. ¹⁴ So join us, and you can share everything we get.”

¹⁵ My son, don’t follow them. Don’t even take the first step along that path. ¹⁶ They run to do something evil, and they cannot wait to kill someone.

¹⁷ You cannot trap birds with a net if they see you spreading it out. ¹⁸ But evil people cannot see the trap they set for themselves. ¹⁹ This is what happens to those who are greedy. Whatever they get destroys them.