Proverbs 2

1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And lay up my commandments with thee;

My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my mitzvot ·instructions· within you;

2 So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thy heart to understanding;

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

3 Yea, if thou cry after discernment, And lift up thy voice for understanding;

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

4 If thou seek her as silver, And search for her as for hid treasures:

If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures:

5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, And find the knowledge of God.

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

6 For Jehovah giveth wisdom; Out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding:

For Adonai gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; [He is] a shield to them that walk in integrity;

He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is 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 mishpat ·justice·, and preserve the way of his saints.

9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, And equity, [yea], every good path.

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

10 For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;

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

11 Discretion shall watch over thee; Understanding shall keep thee:

Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you,

12 To deliver thee from the way of evil, From the men that speak perverse things;

to deliver you 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 thee from the strange woman, Even from the foreigner that flattereth with her words;

To deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words;

17 That forsaketh the friend of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of her God:

who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant ·binding contract between two or more parties· of her God:

18 For her house inclineth unto death, And her paths unto the dead;

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

19 None that go unto her return again, Neither do they attain unto the paths of life:

None who go to her teshuvah ·completely return· again, neither do they attain to the paths of life:

20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, And keep the paths of the righteous.

that you may walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the upright.

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

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

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

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