Add parallel Print Page Options

10 My child, if sinners entice you,
    do not consent.(A)
11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;
    let us wantonly ambush the innocent;(B)
12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive
    and whole, like those who go down to the Pit.(C)
13 We shall find all kinds of costly things;
    we shall fill our houses with spoil.
14 Throw in your lot among us;
    we will all have one purse”—
15 my child, do not walk in their way;
    keep your foot from their paths,(D)
16 for their feet run to evil,
    and they hurry to shed blood.(E)
17 For in vain is the net baited
    while the bird is looking on;
18 yet they lie in wait—to kill themselves!
    and set an ambush—for their own lives!
19 Such is the end[a] of all who are greedy for gain;
    it takes away the life of its possessors.(F)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1.19 Gk: Heb are the ways

Avoid Evil Counsel

10 My son, if sinners entice you,
    do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us!
    Let’s lie in wait for blood;
        let’s ambush some innocent person for no reason at all.
12 Let’s swallow them alive like Sheol,[a]
    and whole like those who go down into the Pit.[b]
13 We’ll find all kinds of valuable wealth,
    and we’ll fill our houses with spoil.
14 Throw your lot in with us,
    and all of us will have one purse.”

15 My son, do not go along with them,[c]
    and keep your feet away from their paths!
16 For they[d] run toward evil;
    these enticers[e] shed blood without hesitation.[f]
17 Look, it is useless to spread a net in full view of[g] all the birds,
18 but these people[h] lie in wait for their own blood.[i]
        They ambush only themselves.
19 Such is the way of all those who seek illicit gain—
    it takes away the lives of those who possess it.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 1:12 I.e. the realm of the dead; possibly an allusion to the rebellion of Korah (cf. Num 16:33)
  2. Proverbs 1:12 I.e. the place of punishment in the afterlife
  3. Proverbs 1:15 Lit. in the way with them
  4. Proverbs 1:16 Lit. For their feet
  5. Proverbs 1:16 Lit. they
  6. Proverbs 1:16 Lit. blood quickly
  7. Proverbs 1:17 Lit. in the eyes of
  8. Proverbs 1:18 Lit. they
  9. Proverbs 1:18 The Heb. lacks their own

29 The violent entice their neighbors
    and lead them in a way that is not good.(A)

Read full chapter

29 A violent man entices his companion
    and leads him on a path that is not good.

Read full chapter

26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
    are the righteous who give way before the wicked.(A)

Read full chapter

26 A muddied spring or a polluted well—
    that’s what a righteous person is
        who compromises with the wicked.

Read full chapter

A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
    but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.(A)

Read full chapter

Rocks are heavy,
    and sand is weighty,
        but a fool’s provocation outweighs them both.

Read full chapter

10 Those who mislead the upright into evil ways
    will fall into pits of their own making,
    but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.(A)

Read full chapter

10 Whoever misleads the upright along an evil way
    will himself fall into his own pit,
        but the blameless will inherit what is good.

Read full chapter