Proverbs 2

1 My son, listen to what I say, and [consider my instructions to be as valuable as] [MET] a treasure.

Mi sone, if thou resseyuest my wordis, `and hidist myn heestis anentis thee;

2 Pay attention to wisdom and try hard to understand it.

that thin eere here wisdom, bowe thin herte to knowe prudence.

3 Call out [to God] to get insight; plead with him to help you to understand more [of what he wants you to know].

For if thou inwardli clepist wisdom, and bowist thin herte to prudence;

4 Search [eagerly] for wisdom, like you would search for silver, like you would search for a treasure that someone has hidden.

if thou sekist it as money, and diggist it out as tresours;

5 If you do that, you will understand how to revere Yahweh, and you will succeed in knowing God.

thanne thou schalt vndirstonde the drede of the Lord, and schalt fynde the kunnyng of God.

6 Yahweh is the one who gives us wisdom. He is the one who tells us things that we need to know and understand.

For the Lord yyueth wisdom; and prudence and kunnyng is of his mouth.

7 He gives good advice to those who conduct their lives as they should. He protects [MET] those who do what is right.

He schal kepe the heelthe of riytful men, and he schal defende hem that goen sympli.

8 He guards those who act justly/fairly [toward others], and he watches over those who are faithful/loyal [to him].

And he schal kepe the pathis of riytfulnesse, and he schal kepe the weies of hooli men.

9 [If you ask God for wisdom], you will understand what is right and just [DOU] [to do], and [you will know] the right way to conduct your life,

Thanne thou schalt vndirstonde riytfulnesse, and dom, and equytee, and ech good path.

10 because you will be wise in your inner being; and knowing [what God wants you to know] will cause you to be joyful.

If wysdom entrith in to thin herte, and kunnyng plesith thi soule,

11 If you know [PRS] how to choose what is right to do and if you understand [what God wants] you to do, God will protect you and guard you and keep you safe.

good councel schal kepe thee, and prudence schal kepe thee; that thou be delyuered fro an yuel weie,

12 If you are wise [PRS], you will not do what evil people do, and you will not [believe what] deceitful people say.

and fro a man that spekith weiward thingis.

13 Deceitful people have stopped acting fairly/justly [toward others] and (walk on dark and evil paths/do what evil people do) [MET].

Whiche forsaken a riytful weie, and goen bi derk weies;

14 They enjoy doing what is wrong; they like to do what is evil and to deceive [people].

whiche ben glad, whanne thei han do yuel, and maken ful out ioye in worste thingis;

15 They (walk on crooked paths/always deceive others) and are always dishonest.

whose weies ben weywerd, and her goyingis ben of yuel fame.

16 If you are wise [PRS], you will [also] be saved from (immoral women/prostitutes); you will not pay attention when adulterous women try to (seduce/entice you by what they say.)

That thou be delyuered fro an alien womman, and fro a straunge womman, that makith soft hir wordis;

17 Those women have left the husbands whom they married when they were young; they have disregarded the solemn promise they made to God [not to commit adultery].

and forsakith the duyk of hir tyme of mariage,

18 If you go into houses of women who are like that, you will die [when you are still young]; the road [to their houses] leads to hell. (questioned)

and hath foryete the couenaunt of hir God. For the hous of hir is bowid to deeth, and hir pathis to helle.

19 No man who (visits/sleeps with) a woman like that will again [live harmoniously with his family]. He will never have a [happy] life again.

Alle that entren to hir, schulen not turne ayen, nether schulen catche the pathis of lijf.

20 If [you are wise], you should behave like good men behave. You should (stay on the paths that righteous [people] walk on/do what godly people do) [MET],

That thou go in a good weie, and kepe the pathis of iust men.

21 because only godly people will live in this land [and receive God’s blessings]; [only] those who have not done wrong will stay here [for a long time].

Forsothe thei that ben riytful, schulen dwelle in the lond; and symple men schulen perfitli dwelle ther ynne.

22 Wicked [people] will be expelled from this land, and [people] who are not trustworthy will be thrown {God will throw them} out of it.

But vnfeithful men schulen be lost fro the loond; and thei that doen wickidli, schulen be takun awey fro it.