Proverbs 2

Common English Bible

2 My son, accept my words
    and store up my commands.
² Turn your ear toward wisdom,
    and stretch your mind toward understanding.
³ Call out for insight,
    and cry aloud for understanding.
⁴ Seek it like silver;
    search for it like hidden treasure.
⁵ Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
    and discover the knowledge of God.
⁶ The Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
⁷ He reserves ability for those with integrity.
    He is a shield for those who live a blameless life.
⁸ He protects the paths of justice
    and guards the way of those who are loyal to him.
⁹ Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
    as well as integrity, every good course.
¹⁰ Wisdom will enter your mind,
    and knowledge will fill you with delight.
¹¹ Discretion will guard you;
    understanding will protect you.
¹² Wisdom will rescue you from the evil path,
    from people who twist their words.
¹³ They forsake the way of integrity
    and go on obscure paths.
¹⁴ They enjoy doing evil,
    rejoicing in their twisted evil.
¹⁵ Their paths are confused;
    they get lost on their way.
¹⁶ Wisdom will rescue you from the mysterious woman,
    from the foreign woman with her slick words.
¹⁷ She leaves behind the partner of her youth;
    she even forgets her covenant with God.
¹⁸ Her house sinks down to death,
    and her paths go down to the shadowy dead.
¹⁹ All those who go to her will never return;
    they will never again reach the ways of the living.
²⁰ So you should stay on the path of good people,
    guarding the road of the righteous.
²¹ Those who have integrity will dwell in the land;
    the innocent will remain in it.
²² But the wicked will be cut off from the land,
    and the treacherous will be ripped up.