1My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;2So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;3Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;4If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;5Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.6For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.7He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.8He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.9Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea , every good path.10When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;11Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:12To deliver thee from the way of the evil man , from the man that speaketh froward things;13Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;14Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;15Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:16To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;17Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.18For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.19None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.20That thou mayest walk in the way of good men , and keep the paths of the righteous.21For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.22But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
Proverbs 2
New International Reader’s Version
Good things come from wisdom
1My son, accept my words. Store up my commands inside you.2Let your ears listen to wisdom. Apply your heart to understanding.3Call out for the ability to be wise. Cry out for understanding.4Look for it as you would look for silver. Search for it as you would search for hidden treasure.5Then you will understand how to have respect for the LORD. You will find out how to know God.6The LORD gives wisdom. Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.7He stores up success for honest people. He is like a shield to those who live without blame.8He guards the path of those who are honest. He watches over the way of his faithful ones.9You will understand what is right and honest and fair. You will understand the right way to live.10Your heart will become wise. Your mind will delight in knowledge.11Good sense will keep you safe. Understanding will guard you.12Wisdom will save you from the ways of evil men. It will save you from men who twist their words.13Men like that have left the straight paths to walk in dark ways.14They take delight in doing what is wrong. They take joy in twisting everything around.15Their paths are crooked. Their ways are not straight.16Wisdom will save you from a woman who commits adultery. It will save you from a sinful woman and her tempting words.17She has left the man she married when she was young. She has broken the promise she made in front of God.18Surely her house leads down to death. Her paths lead to the spirits of the dead.19No one who goes to her comes back or reaches the paths of life.20You will walk in the ways of good people. You will follow the paths of those who do right.21Honest people will live in the land. Those who are without blame will remain in it.22But sinners will be cut off from the land. Those who aren’t faithful will be torn away from it.