Proverbs 2

1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you,

My son, if thou will receive my words, and lay up my commandments with thee,

2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;

so as to incline thine ear to wisdom, and apply thy heart to understanding,

3 yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding;

yea, if thou cry after discernment, and lift up thy voice for understanding,

4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures;

if thou seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures,

5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

then thou shall understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God.

6 For the LORD gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

For Jehovah gives wisdom. Out of his mouth is knowledge and understanding.

7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

He lays up sound wisdom for the upright, a shield to those who walk in integrity,

8 that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints.

that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his sanctified.

9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path.

Then thou shall understand righteousness and justice and equity, yea, every good path.

10 For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant to thy soul,

11 Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you,

discretion shall watch over thee, understanding shall keep thee,

12 to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things,

to deliver thee from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things,

13 who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness,

who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness,

14 who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil,

who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil,

15 who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths,

who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths,

16 to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words,

to deliver thee from the interloping woman, even from the stranger who flatters with her words,

17 who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God;

who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God

18 for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits.

(for her house inclines to death, and her paths to the dead;

19 None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life.

none who go to her return again, nor do they attain to the paths of life),

20 Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

that thou may walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

21 For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it.

For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.

22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it.

But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the treacherous shall be rooted out of it.