Proverbs 2

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

My son, if thou dost accept my sayings, And my commands dost lay up with thee,

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

To cause thine ear to attend to wisdom, Thou inclinest thy heart to understanding,

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 for intelligence thou callest, For understanding givest forth thy voice,

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

If thou dost seek her as silver, And as hid treasures searchest for her,

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

Then understandest thou fear of Jehovah, And knowledge of God thou findest.

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 Jehovah giveth wisdom, From His mouth knowledge and understanding.

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

Even to lay up for the upright substance, A shield for those walking uprightly.

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

To keep the paths of judgment, And the way of His saints He preserveth.

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,

Then understandest thou righteousness, And judgment, and uprightness — every 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.

For wisdom cometh into thy heart, And knowledge to thy soul is pleasant,

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.

Thoughtfulness doth watch over thee, Understanding doth keep thee,

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

To deliver thee from an evil way, From any speaking froward things,

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

Who are forsaking paths of uprightness, To walk in ways of darkness,

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

Who are rejoicing to do evil, They delight in frowardness of the wicked,

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

Whose paths [are] crooked, Yea, they are perverted in their ways.

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.)

To deliver thee from the strange woman, From the stranger who hath made smooth her sayings,

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].

Who is forsaking the guide of her youth, And the covenant of her God hath forgotten.

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)

For her house hath inclined unto death, And unto Rephaim her paths.

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.

None going in unto her turn back, Nor do they reach the paths of life.

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 dost go in the way of the good, And the paths of the righteous dost keep.

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].

For the upright do inhabit the earth, And the perfect are left in it,

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.

And the wicked from the earth are cut off, And treacherous dealers plucked out of it!