God's New Bible

The Proverbs

King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 2 -

Reward for the seeker of wisdom

1
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
3
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;(a)
4
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
5
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord , and find the knowledge of God.
6
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
7
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
8
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
9
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
10
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
11
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
12
To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
13
Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
14
Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
15
Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
16
To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
17
Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
18
For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
19
None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

Walking in the way of wisdom

20
That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
21
For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
22
But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.(b)

Footnotes

(a)2:3 liftest…: Heb. givest thy voice
(b)2:22 rooted: or, plucked up

Reward for the seeker of wisdom

1
My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you,
2
so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;
3
yes, if you call out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding;
4
if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures;
5
then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.(a)
6
For the LORD gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
7
He lays up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8
that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his saints.
9
Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path.
10
For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11
Discretion will watch over you. Understanding will keep you,
12
to deliver you from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things,
13
who forsake the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness,
14
who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil,
15
who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths,
16
to deliver you from the strange woman, even from the foreigner who flatters with her words,
17
who forsakes the friend of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God;
18
for her house leads down to death, her paths to the departed spirits.
19
None who go to her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life.

Walking in the way of wisdom

20
Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
21
For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it.
22
But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Footnotes

(a)2:5 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).