Proverbs 2:1-22
2 My son, if you take what I sayand lay up my commands in your mind,
2 Giving a listening ear to wisdomand directing your heart to intelligence,
3 If you call up discretionand to intelligence you raise your voice,
4 If you hunt for it as you would for silverand search for it as you would for buried treasure,
5 Then you shall understand the fear of Jehovahand find the knowledge of God,
6 Because Jehovah gives wisdom;out of his mouth come knowledge and intelligence;
7 He lays away sensible ideas for the upright,shields those who walk conscientiously,
8 Protecting law-abiding waysand guarding the road of the men of his friendship;
9 Then you shall understand right and justiceand fair dealing, every good line,
10 Because wisdom shall come into your heartand knowledge be delicious to your soul;
11 Good judgment shall guard you,intelligence shall keep you,
12 Delivering you from a bad course,from men who talk mischief,
13 Those who leave straightforward waysto go on roads of darkness,
14 * Who are glad to do harmand exult in mischief to a friend,
15 Whose ways are crookedand they take dodging roads;
16 Delivering you from a stranger woman,a smooth-talking foreigner,
17 That leaves the mate of her girlhoodand forgets the covenant of her god,
18 * For her house is sinking to deathand her roads run to ghosts—
19 Any who go in to her will never come backnor reach the ways to life,—
20 In order that you may walk in good men’s pathand keep to honest men’s ways,
21 Because straightforward men will people earthand conscientious men remain in it,
22 But wrong-doers will be extirpated from earthand faithless men torn out from it.
