Proverbs 2

The Benefits of Wisdom

¹My child, if you will receive my sayings,[#Or “take, seize”]

²in order to incline your ear toward wisdom,

³For if you cry out for understanding,[#Or “call to understanding”]

⁴if you seek her like silver

⁵then you will understand the fear of Yahweh,

⁶For Yahweh will give wisdom;

⁷For the upright, he stores sound judgment, a shield for those who walk uprightly,[#Or “hides, keeps”]

⁸in order to guard paths of justice

⁹Then you will understand righteousness and justice

¹⁰for wisdom will enter your heart,

¹¹Discretion will watch over you;

¹²in order to deliver you from the way of evil,[#Or “evildoer”]

¹³those who forsake the paths of uprightness

¹⁴those who are happy to do evil,

¹⁵who are crooked in their ways,[#Literally “that in their ways are crooked”]

¹⁶in order to deliver you from a strange woman,

¹⁷she who forsakes the partner of her youth

¹⁸for her house sinks to death,

¹⁹Of all who go to her, none shall return,

²⁰So that you will walk on the road of those who are good,

²¹For those who are upright will dwell in the land,[#Or “earth”]

²²And those who are wicked will be cut off from the land,