10 My son, if sinful men entice you,

do not give in to them.

11 If they say, “Come along with us;

let’s lie in wait for innocent blood,

let’s ambush some harmless soul;

12 let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,

and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

13 we will get all sorts of valuable things

and fill our houses with plunder;

14 cast lots with us;

we will all share the loot”—

15 my son, do not go along with them,

do not set foot on their paths;

16 for their feet rush into evil,

they are swift to shed blood.

17 How useless to spread a net

where every bird can see it!

10 My son, if sinners entice you,

do not consent.

11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;

let us ambush the innocent without reason;

12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive,

and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

13 we shall find all precious goods,

we shall fill our houses with plunder;

14 throw in your lot among us;

we will all have one purse”—

15 my son, do not walk in the way with them;

hold back your foot from their paths,

16 for their feet run to evil,

and they make haste to shed blood.

17 For in vain is a net spread

in the sight of any bird,

10 My child, if sinners entice you,

turn your back on them!

11 They may say, “Come and join us.

Let’s hide and kill someone!

Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!

12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave;

let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.

13 Think of the great things we’ll get!

We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.

14 Come, throw in your lot with us;

we’ll all share the loot.”

15 My child, don’t go along with them!

Stay far away from their paths.

16 They rush to commit evil deeds.

They hurry to commit murder.

17 If a bird sees a trap being set,

it knows to stay away.

10 My son, if sinners entice you,

Do not consent.

11 If they say, “Come with us,

Let us lie in wait to shed blood;

Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,

And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;

13 We shall find all kinds of precious possessions,

We shall fill our houses with spoil;

14 Cast in your lot among us,

Let us all have one purse”—

15 My son, do not walk in the way with them,

Keep your foot from their path;

16 For their feet run to evil,

And they make haste to shed blood.

17 Surely, in vain the net is spread

In the sight of any bird;

10 My child, if sinners try to lead you into sin,

do not follow them.

11 They will say, “Come with us.

Let’s ambush and kill someone;

let’s attack some innocent people just for fun.

12 Let’s swallow them alive, as death does;

let’s swallow them whole, as the grave does.

13 We will take all kinds of valuable things

and fill our houses with stolen goods.

14 Come join us,

and we will share with you stolen goods.”

15 My child, do not go along with them;

do not do what they do.

16 They are eager to do evil

and are quick to kill.

17 It is useless to spread out a net

right where the birds can see it.

10 My son, if sinners entice thee,

Consent thou not.

11 If they say, Come with us,

Let us lay wait for blood;

Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;

12 Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol,

And whole, as those that go down into the pit;

13 We shall find all precious substance;

We shall fill our houses with spoil;

14 Thou shalt cast thy lot among us;

We will all have one purse:

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them;

Refrain thy foot from their path:

16 For their feet run to evil,

And they make haste to shed blood.

17 For in vain is the net spread

In the sight of any bird:

10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent not. 11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; 12 let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; 13 we shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: 14 cast in thy lot among us; we will all have one purse: 15 —my son, walk not in the way with them, keep back thy foot from their path; 16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. 17 For in vain the net is spread in the sight of anything which hath wings.

10 My son, 

if sinners lure you, do not go along. 

11 If they say, 

“Come with us. 

Let’s set an ambush to kill someone. 

Let’s hide to ambush innocent people for fun. 

12 We’ll swallow them alive like the grave, 

like those in good health who go into the pit. 

13 We’ll find all kinds of valuable possessions. 

We’ll fill our homes with stolen goods. 

14 Join us. 

We’ll split the loot equally.” 

15 My son, 

do not follow them in their way. 

Do not even set foot on their path, 

16 because they rush to do evil 

and hurry to shed blood. 

17 It does no good to spread a net 

within the sight of any bird. 

10 My son, if sinners entice you,

don’t be persuaded.

11 If they say—“Come with us!

Let’s set an ambush and kill someone.

Let’s attack some innocent person just for fun!

12 Let’s swallow them alive, like Sheol,

still healthy as they go down to the Pit.

13 We’ll find all kinds of valuable property

and fill our houses with plunder.

14 Throw in your lot with us,

and we’ll all share our money” —

15 my son, don’t travel that road with them

or set foot on their path,

16 because their feet run toward trouble

and they hurry to commit murder.

17 It is foolish to spread a net

where any bird can see it,

10 My child, if sinners entice you,

do not consent.

11 If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;

let us wantonly ambush the innocent;

12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive

and whole, like those who go down to the Pit.

13 We shall find all kinds of costly things;

we shall fill our houses with booty.

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;

16 for their feet run to evil,

and they hurry to shed blood.

17 For in vain is the net baited

while the bird is looking on;

10 My child, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

11 If they say,

“Come with us!

We shall lie in wait for blood;

we shall ambush the innocent without cause.

12 Like Sheol, we will swallow them alive

and whole, like those who descend to the pit.

13 We shall find all precious wealth,

we shall fill our houses with booty,

14 you shall throw your lot in our midst,

there will be one purse for all of us.”

15 My child, do not walk in their way.

Keep your foot from their paths,

16 for their feet run to evil,

and they hurry to shed blood,

17 for “in vain is the net scattered,

in the sight of any winged bird.”

10 My son, if sinners tempt you,

don’t give in to them.

11 They might say, “Come along with us.

Let’s hide and wait to spill someone’s blood.

Let’s catch some harmless people in our trap.

12 Let’s swallow them alive, as the grave does.

Let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down into the pit.

13 We’ll get all kinds of valuable things.

We’ll fill our houses with what we steal.

14 Come and join our gang.

We’ll share everything we have.”

15 My son, don’t go along with them.

Don’t even set your feet on their paths.

16 They are always in a hurry to sin.

They are quick to spill someone’s blood.

17 How useless it is to spread a net

while all the birds are watching!

10 My son, if sinners entice you,

Do not consent.

11 If they say, “Come with us,

Let us lie in wait for blood,

Let us ambush the innocent without cause;

12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,

Even whole, as those who go down to the pit;

13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth,

We will fill our houses with spoil;

14 Throw in your lot with us,

We shall all have one purse,”

15 My son, do not walk in the way with them.

Keep your feet from their path,

16 For their feet run to evil

And they hasten to shed blood.

17 Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net

In the sight of any bird;